LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

'Received        J^iz^z^  *  , 

Accessions  No. 3^7 -  CAzss  No. 


SCHOOL  NEEDLEWORK 


A   Course  of  Study  in  Sewing  designed 
for  use  in  Schools 


OLIVE   C.   HAPGOOD 

TEACHER  OK  SEWING  IN  BOSTON  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS 


"  Learn  the  sound  qualities  of  alt  useful  stuffs,  and  make  everything 
of  the  best  you  can  get,  whatever  its  price.  ,  .  .  and  then,  every  day,  make 
some  little  piece  of  useful  clothing,  sewn  with  your  own  fingers  as  strongly 
as  it  can  be  stitched ;  and  embroider  it  or  otherwise  beautify  it  moderately 
•with  fine  needlework,  such  as  a  girl  may  be  proud  of  having  done.'1'1 

JOHN  RUSKIN. 


TEACHER'S      EDITION 


0?  THE 

[UNIVERSITY 


BOSTON,  U.S.A. 
&    COMPANY,    PUBLISHERS 
1893 


COPYRIGHT,  1893, 
BY  OLIVE  C.  HAPGOOD. 


ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED. 


0tnn  &  Company 
Btbenieum  press 
Boston 


PREFACE. 


THE  importance  of  instruction  in  sewing  in  the  Public 
School  is  now  generally  recognized.  As  manual  training 
comes  into  greater  prominence,  new  methods  and  helps 
are  necessary.  The  demand  for  these  was  felt  by  the 
author,  and  this  book  is  the  result  of  practical  experience 
in  the  class-room.  Its  purpose  is  to  assist  both  teacher 
and  pupil  ;  lightening  the  teacher's  labors  by  saving 
constant  repetition,  and  giving  the  pupil  a  manual  for 
reference,  with  the  hope  that  the  information  thus  ac- 
quired will  assist  in  fitting  her  for  the  duties  of  life. 
Simplicity  with  completeness  has  been  the  aim  through- 
out. 

In  the  teacher's  edition,  the  work  is  further  supple- 
mented by  practical  hints  and  suggestions  as  to  successful 
methods  of  teaching  the  lessons,  and  by  courses  of  study 
for  Kindergarten,  Primary,  and  Industrial  Sewing.  It 
also  contains  a  list  of  articles  obtainable  for  a  sewing 
cabinet,  and  talks  on  kindred  subjects. 

The  author  wishes  to  acknowledge  her  indebtedness  to 
the  teachers  who  have  so  kindly  assisted  her,  and  to 
members  of  the  School  Board  for  their  advice  and  interest 
in  the  preparation  of  the  work 


CONTENTS. 


PART      I.  PAGE 

GENERAL  DIRECTIONS  i 

PART    II. 
PLAIN  SEWING    ---  13 

PART    III. 

ORNAMENTAL  STITCHES     -  -     115 

PART    IV. 

DRAFTING,  CUTTING  AND  MAKING  GARMENTS  -                               129 

TEACHER'S    SUPPLEMENT. 

TEACHING  THE  LESSONS    -  -        -        -       -     163 

COURSE  OF  SEWING    -  -    172 

PRACTICAL  SUGGESTIONS    -  176 

KINDERGARTEN  SEWING  -     187 

PRIMARY  SEWING  199 

COURSE  OF  SEWING  FOR  INDUSTRIAL  SCHOOLS  -        -        -     220 

FACTS  FOR  OBSERVATION  LESSONS    -  •     222 

SCHOOL-CABINET ...     239 


INDEX 


243 


PART    I. 


GENERAL    DIRECTIONS. 

DEAR  GIRLS  :  You  have  now  become  old  enough  to 
prepare  for  woman's  duties  ;  one  of  these  is  the  art  of 
sewing,  which  we  will  take  up  as  simply  as  possible.  By 
following  the  given  directions  carefully,  you  will  become 
able  to  dress  your  dolls,  assist  your  mothers  in  mending, 
make  garments,  fancy  articles,  etc. 

A  convenient  outfit  for  your  school  sewing  consists  of 
a  bag  large  enough  to  hold  certain  necessary  materials 
and  the  garment  to  be  made.  The  bag  should  be  made 
of  dark  or  medium-colored  cloth,  so  that  it  may  not  soil 
easily,  and  should  have  a  strong  gathering  tape. 

The  following  articles  are  needed.  —  i .  Half  a  yard  of 
bleached  or  half-bleached  cotton  cloth  for  a  trial-piece 
and  sample  work. 

2.  Spools  of  white  cotton,  Nos.  40-80,  also  one  of  No. 
50  colored  cotton  for  basting. 

3.  A   well-fitting   silver   or   celluloid   thimble,   for   the 
second  finger  of  the  right  hand. 

4.  An  emery  bag  to  brighten  the  needle,  when  it  does 
not  go  through  the  cloth  easily. 

5.  A  paper  of  Nos.  5-10  ground-down  needles. 

6.  A  pinball  well  filled  with  small  pins. 

7.  A  tape  measure. 

8.  A  piece  of  wax. 


2  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

9.    A  pair  6f  scissors,  for  girls  in  the  higher  classes. 

Your  name  should  be  written  with  ink  on  the  bag, 
paper  of  needles,  spools  of  thread,  and  sample  cloth.  An 
easy  way  to  remember  the  necessary  articles  is  to  let  the 
hand  represent  the  cloth  ;  the  thumb,  the  bag  ;  the  first 
finger,  the  spools  of  cotton  ;  the  second  finger,  the  thimble 
and  emery  bag  ;  the  third  finger,  the  needles  and  pins  ; 
and  the  fourth  finger,  the  tape  measure  and  wax. 

Directions  for  putting  away  the  work,  —  i .  Before  fold- 
ing the  work,  run  the  needle  in  and  out  of  the  cloth,  near 
the  last  stitches,  so  as  to  keep  it  secure  and  aid  in  finding 
the  place  at  the  next  sewing  lesson. 

2.  To  fold  the  work,  smooth  it  out,  fold  it  lengthwise 
and  narrow  enough  to  go  into  the  bag  ;  then  fold  it  the 
opposite  way. 

3.  Put  the  thimble  into  the  bag  first,  as  it  is  apt  to  be 
forgotten. 

4.  After  all  the  articles  are  placed  in  the  bag,  draw  it 
up  closely. 

5.  Wind  the  tape  tightly  around  the  bag  until  about 
six  inches  of  it  are  left. 

6.  Place  two  fingers  of  the  left  hand  over  the  coil  of 
tape,  and  wind  once  over  the  fingers  and  around  che  bag. 

7.  As  the  fingers  are  withdrawn,  slip  the  end  of  the 
tape  through,  and  draw  tightly. 

If  the  above  directions  are  carefully  observed,  no  girl 
should  report  any  missing  article  at  the  next  lesson. 

Directions  for  sewing.  —  I .  Be  very  careful  to  have  clean 
hands. 

2.  Sit  in  an  erect  position,  never  resting  any  part  of 
the  arm  on  the  desk. 

3.  Do  not  fasten  the  work  to  the  desk  or  knee. 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK.  3 

*     4.    Never  sew  without  a  thimble,  either  the  top  or  the 
side  of  it  can  be  used. 

5.  Do  not  put  the  work  or  thread  to  the  mouth,  as 
that  will  soil  it. 

6.  In  plain  sewing,   begin  to  sew  at   the  end  of    the 
cloth,  or  at  a  seam,  holding  the  part  of  the  work  not  sewed 
in  tJic  left  hand. 

7.  When  scissors  are  not  used,   to  break    the   thread 
place  the  left   thumb-nail  firmly  over  the  last   stitches  ; 
wind  the  thread  around  the  right  forefinger,  and  break 
the  thread  with  the  right  thumb-nail. 

8.  Do  all  sewing  nicely,  making  the  stitches  small  and 
even,  having  the  wrong  side  look  as  neat  as  possible,  and 
sewing  the  corners  with  great  care. 

9.  When  obliged  to  take  out  the  stitches,  use  the  eye 
of  a  needle,  and  pick  out  one  stitch  at  a  time  ;  in  stitch- 
ing, pick  out  the  thread  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other. 

10.  Before  showing  the  work  to  the  teacher,  fasten  the 
needle  securely  in  the  work. 

We  will  call  the  fleshy  or  soft  part  of  the  forefinger  a 
sewing  cushion. 

What  are  the  necessary  articles  for  school  sewing?  Upon  which  finger  is  the 
thimble  worn  ?  For  what  is  an  emery  bag  used  ?  Where  should  the  needle  be  placed 
before  putting  away  the  work  ?  What  should  first  be  put  into  the  bag  ?  Why  should 
the  bag  be  tied  up  carefully  ?  In  what  condition  should  the  hands  be  ?  How  should 
a  child  sit  while  sewing?  Should  the  work  be  fastened  to  the  desk  or  knee? 
Should  you  ever  sew  without  a  thimble  ?  Should  the  work  or  thread  be  put  to  the 
mouth  ?  Why  ?  In  plain  sewing  where  should  you  begin  to  sew  ?  In  which  hand 
should  the  part  of  the  work  not  sewed  be  held  ?  How  should  the  thread  be  broken  ? 
How  ought  all  sewing  to  be  done  ?  Where  should  great  care  be  taken  ?  What  is 
called  the  sewing  cushion  ? 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


NEEDLES    AND    THREAD. 

Needles.  —  A  needle  is  a  small  piece  of  steel,  pointed  at 
one  end,  and  having  an  eye  at  the  other  to  receive  a 
thread. 

Needles  are  of  various  sizes  and  shapes,  according  to 
the  uses  for  which  they  are  intended. 

Three  kinds  of  needles  are  used  in  sewing  on  cotton 
cloth,  —  sharps,  ground-downs,  and  betweens  ;  the  sizes 
range  from  No.  I,  the  largest,  to  No.  12,  the  smallest. 
Sharps  are  long  needles,  ground-downs  are  shorter,  and 
betweens  are  still  shorter.  Ground-downs  are  excellent 
for  school  use,  as  they  do  not  bend  or  break  easily. 
Betweens  are  used  for  heavy  work. 

Worsted  and  darning  needles  are  used  for  yarn,  and 
are  of  different  sizes.  Worsted  needles  have  a  long  eye, 
and  either  a  sharp  or  a  blunt  point.  A  very  long  needle 
is  used  in  millinery  work.  A  bodkin  or  tape  needle  has  a 
long  eye,  and  is  used  for  running  tape  into  a  hem  or 
casing. 

Let  us  examine  our  paper  of  needles.  It  is  assorted 
so  that  we  may  have  needles  suitable  for  all  kinds  of 
stitches.  To  open  it,  place  a  ringer  between  the  folds  of 
the  paper  and  separate  them.  Now,  opening  the  sides 
and  short  ends  which  cover  the  needles,  we  find  twenty- 
five  needles  in  a  secure  case.  Keep  them  in  their  places 
so  that  we  may  know  the  proper  size  to  use  for  the  thread 
or  stitch.  Beginning  at  the  middle,  we  find  three  No.  5 
needles,  which  should  be  used  only  with  very  coarse 
thread  ;  they  are  suitable  for  sewing  on  boot-buttons,  etc. 
The  needles  on  each  side  are  alike,  so  following  down  one 


NEEDLES    AND    THREAD.  5 

side,  we  find  two  No.  6  needles,  used  for  sewing  on  coarse 
materials  ;  next  are  three  No.  7  needles,  suitable  for  hem- 
ming on  towels,  etc.  ;  then  there  are  three  No.  8  needles, 
for  stitching  ;  next  are  two  No.  9  needles,  used  in  hem- 
ming cotton  cloth  ;  and  the  last  is  a  No.  10  needle,  for 
very  fine  work. 

After  taking  out  a  needle,  fold  and  tie  up  the  paper  so 
that  none  may  drop  out.  Never  use  a  bent  needle,  as  it 
makes  uneven  stitches.  In  passing  a  needle,  hand  the 
eye  of  the  needle  to  the  person,  keeping  the  point  towards 
yourself. 

Thread,  —  A  small  twist  made  from  flax,  silk,  cotton,  or 
wool,  is  called  thread.  Thread  made  from  flax  is  called 
linen  thread,  and  is  very  strong.  Thread  made  from  silk 
is  called  silk  or  twist,  and  is  used  when  sewing  on  nice 
textures.  Cotton  thread  can  be  obtained  in  many  num- 
bers, and  is  used  when  sewing  on  wash  goods  ;  the  finer 
the  thread,  the  higher  the  number.  Thread  made  from 
wool  is  called  yarn,  worsted,  zephyr,  etc.,  and  is  used  for 
darning,  canvas-work,  and  fancy-work. 

A  new  spool  of  thread  can  be  unfastened  by  slipping  a 
pin  under  the  thread,  where  it  is  caught  in  the  wood.  To 
unwind  the  thread,  hold  the  spool  in  the  left  hand,  with 
the  end  of  the  thread  between  two  fingers.  Unwind  the 
thread  until  it  is  of  the  required  length.  Break  it  by 
holding  it  securely  in  each  hand,  and  snapping  it  across 
the  ends  of  the  thumbs.  When  not  using  a  spool  of 
thread,  keep  the  end  of  the  thread  fastened  in  the 
wood. 

Use  a  piece  of  thread  the  length  of  the  desk,  or  about 
as  long  as  the  arm.  When  using  very  fine  thread,  take 
a  shorter  needleful.  If  the  thread  kinks,  remove  the 


6  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

needle,  and  beginning  at  the  work,  draw  the  thread  tightly 
between  the  thumb-nail  and  the  end  of  the  forefinger. 
To  prevent  thread  from  kinking,  thread  the  needle  with 
the  end  that  hangs  from  the  spool.  When  using  double 
thread,  as  in  gathering,  sewing  on  buttons,  etc.,  before 
making  the  knot,  draw  the  double  thread,  beginning  at 
the  needle,  across  the  wax. 

Threading  the  needle.  —  i .  Sit  erect,  bringing  the  needle 
and  thread  as  close  to  the  eyes  as  necessary. 

2.  Roll  the  end  of  the  thread  between  the  thumb  and 
cushion  of  the  forefinger,  so  as  to  twist  it  tightly. 

3.  Hold  the  needle  steadily  between  the  thumb   and 
forefinger  of  the  left  hand,  with  the  eye  a  little  above. 

4.  Take  the  end  of  the  thread  between  the  thumb  and 
forefinger  of    the  right    hand,  letting  about   half-an-inch 
protrude,   and   put    the   thread   through   the   eye   of    the 
needle. 

If  preferred,  the  thread  can  be  held  in  the  left  hand, 
and  the  eye  of  the  needle  passed  over  it. 

To  aid  in  threading  a  round-eyed  needle  with  worsted 
or  loosely  twisted  thread,  a  few  fibres  of  cotton-batting  or 
a  fine  thread  can  be  rolled  over  the  end.  Waxing  the 
end  of  the  thread  before  rolling  it,  is  also  helpful. 

Threading  a  long-eyed  needle.  —  i .  Hold  the  end  of  the 
zephyr  between  the  left  thumb  and  forefinger,  allowing 
half-an-inch  to  show. 

2.  Place  the  pointed  end  of  the  needle  on  the  cushion 
of  the  forefinger,  and  over  the  zephyr. 

3.  With  the  left   thumb  fold   the  end  of  the  zephyr 
tightly  over  the  needle. 

4.  Withdraw   the    needle,    and    pass    the    eye   of    the 
needle  over  the  loop  of  zephyr. 


NEEDLES    AND    THREAD.  7 

Knots. — To  make  a  knot,  as  in  Fig.  I,  wind  the  thread 
around    two    or    three    fingers, 
and    crossing   it,    put    the   end 
through  the  loop. 

To  bring  a  knot  closs  to  the 
end  of  the  thread.  —  i.  With 
the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  Fig.  I .  —  Showing  the  thread 
right  hand,  take  hold  of  the  in  a  knot  before  !t  is  drawn  UP" 
thread  a  few  inches  from  the  end. 

2.  Wind  the  end  around  the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand, 
about  midway  of  the  finger-nail. 

3.  Pressing  tightly,  roll  the  end  of  the  thread  down- 
ward   on    the    side   of    the    thumb,   twisting    it    once   or 
twice. 

4.  Bring  the  second  finger  upon  the  thumb,  and  over 
the  thread. 

5.  Lifting  the  forefinger,  draw  up  the  thread  with  the 
right  hand. 

The  knot  can  also  be  made  with  the  right  hand. 

To  fasten  the  thread  in  sewing,  take  two  or  three  stitches 
in  the  same  place,  or  sew  back  a  few  stitches.  Fasten 
silk  very  securely  as  it  is  apt  to  work  out. 

When  learning  to  sew,  it  is  best  to  use  colored  thread 
on  white  cloth,  as  it  makes  the  stitches  plainer,  and  mis- 
takes are  more  easily  seen.  For  colored  work,  choose 
thread  or  silk  a  shade  darker  than  the  material,  as  it  will 
work  lighter.  Twist  is  twirled  the  opposite  way  from 
cotton  thread. 

The  size  of  the  needle  and  thread  to  be  used,  depends 
upon  the  quality  of  the  work.  A  coarse  needle  and  thread 
are  used  for  coarse  work,  and  a  fine  needle  and  thread  for 
fine  work. 


8  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

The  numbers  of  needles  and   thread   needed  for  the 
different  kinds  of  stitches  in  cotton  cloth  :  — 

Hemming,       ") 

_     .  .  r  No.  9  needle,  No.  70  or  80  thread. 

Tucking,         ) 

Running,         "^ 

f  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  or  60  thread. 
Overhandmg, 

Overcasting,  J 

Button-holes,      No.  7  or  8  needle,  No.  40  or  50  thread. 

Basting, 


Gathering,        '  N°'  7  °r  8  needle>  Na  3^  or  40  thread. 

What  is  a  needle  ?  Why  is  an  assorted  paper  of  needles  necessary  ?  Why  should 
they  be  kept  in  their  places  in  the  paper  ?  Why  should  the  paper  of  needles  be  kept 
tied  up  ?  How  should  a  needle  be  passed  to  any  one  ?  What  is  thread  ?  What  is 
thread  made  from  flax  called  ?  What  is  thread  made  from  silk  called  ?  What  is  said 
about  cotton  thread?  What  is  thread  made  from  wool  called?  How  is  thread 
broken  from  the  spool  (  How  long  a  piece  of  thread  should  be  used  ?  If  it  kinks 
what  should  be  done  ?  Which  end  of  the  thread  should  be  put  into  the  needle  ? 
What  is  done  to  the  end  of  the  thread  before  threading  the  needle  ?  What  part  of 
the  finger  should  the  thread  be  wound  around,  in  order  to  bring  a  knot  close  to  the 
end  of  the  thread  ?  How  many  times  should  the  thread  be  twisted,  when  rolling  it 
down  the  side  of  the  thumb  ?  What  is  the  next  thing  to  do  ?  Next  ?  How  is  thread 
fastened  in  sewing  ?  When  should  a  coarse  needle  and  thread  be  used  ?  A  fine 
needle  and  thread  ?  What  size  needle  and  thread  should  be  used  on  cotton  cloth  for 
hemming?  tucking?  running?  stitching?  overhanding?  overcasting?  button-holes? 
basting?  gathering? 


CLOTH. 

Cloth  is  a  fabric  woven  from  cotton,  wool,  linen,  or  silk. 
Cotton  is  the  cheapest,  and  silk  the  most  expensive  in 
price.  From  cotton  are  made  many  qualities  of  un- 
bleached, half-bleached,  and  bleached  cloth,  also  calicoes, 
ginghams,  muslins,  nainsooks,  cambrics,  etc.  From  wool 
are  made  flannels,  cashmeres,  and  many  varieties  of  dress 
goods.  Linen  cloth  is  made  in  all  grades,  from  the  finest 
linen  lawn  to  heavy  canvas  ;  it  is  generally  used  for 


CLOTH.  9 

collars,  cuffs,  handkerchiefs,  table-cloths,  napkins,  towels, 
etc.  Silk  is  made  into  dress-silks,  ribbons,  satins,  vel- 
vets, etc.  Soft,  pliable,  white  cotton  cloth  (often  called 
muslin)  of  medium  quality  is  best  for  a  beginner  to  use 
at  first. 

The  threads  of  the  cloth  are  called  the  warp  and  the 
woof.  The  threads  running  lengthwise  are  the  zuarp, 
those  running  across  from  selvedge  to  selvedge  are  the 
woof ;  both  can  be  easily  seen  on  a  piece  of  coarse  crash. 
The  warp  is  usually  stronger  than  the  woof,  and  for  this 
reason,  any  part  of  a  garment  requiring  strength,  should 
be  cut  lengthwise  of  the  cloth. 

Cloth  is  woven  straight,  but  is  sometimes  drawn  out  of 
shape  by  pressing.  When  you  can  ravel  a  thread  the 
width  or  length  of  the  cloth,  it  is  straight,  or  will  become 
so  after  washing.  If  it  looks  uneven,  it  can  be  drawn 
into  place  by  stretching  it  on  the  bias.  Calico,  when 
torn,  often  looks  very  uneven,  and  should  be  pulled  into 
shape. 

The  selvedge  of  cloth  is  the  finished  lengthwise  edge, 
and  cannot  be  ravelled.  The  raw  edge  is  the  edge  that 
is  cut  or  torn.  A  fold  is  the  edge  made  by  doubling  one 
part  of  the  cloth  over  the  other.  The  nap  is  the  shaggy 
substance  on  the  surface  of  the  cloth.  To  tear  a  piece  of 
cloth,  cut  in  one  inch  by  a  thread,  then,  holding  a  corner 
of  the  cut  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  each 
hand,  roll  the  edges  from  you,  and  tear  steadily  ;  a  fine 
piece  of  cloth  must  be  torn  carefully. 

What  is  cloth  ?  Name  some  kinds  of  cloth  made  from  cotton ;  from  wool;  from 
linen ;  from  silk.  What  are  the  threads  of  the  cloth  running  lengthwise  of  the  goods 
called  ?  Those  running  across  ?  How  can  you  tell  when  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  is 
straight  ?  If  it  looks  uneven,  how  can  it  be  drawn  into  shape  ?  What  is  the  selvedge 
of  cloth  ?  The  raw  edge  ?  What  is  a  fold  ?  How  should  a  piece  of  cloth  be  torn  ? 


IO 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


SCISSORS    AND    CUTTING. 

A  pair  of  scissors  is  an  instrument  used  for  cutting, 
consisting  of  two  blades  crossing  each  other,  and  moving 
on  a  pivot. 

Scissors  are  of  many  sizes.  Large  scissors  are  called 
shears  (Fig.  2,  c),  and  small  scissors  with  the  ends  of  the 
blades  rounded  are  called  pocket  scissors  (Fig.  2,  d\  as 
they  are  convenient  to  carry  in  the  pocket.  In  shears, 
the  round  bow  is  for  the  thumb,  and  the  oval  bow  is  for 
two  of  the  fingers  ;  one  blade  is  more  pointed  than  the 
other,  and  when  cutting  this  blade  should  be  held  down- 


Fig.  2. — a,  Showing  ladies'  scissors  ;  b,  button-hole  scissors  ; 
i;  shears  ;  d,  pocket  scissors, 

ward.  In  button-hole  scissors  (Fig.  2,  b)  a  screw  is 
attached  to  regulate  the  size  of  the  button-hole.  When 
passing  scissors,  hand  the  bows  to  the  person,  keeping 
the  point  towards  yourself. 

In  order  to  cut  straight,  draw  out  a  thread  of  the  cloth, 
and  cut  along  the  line  thus  made  (for  drawing  a  thread, 
see  page  1 16).  In  materials  from  which  a  thread  cannot 
be  easily  drawn,  fold  the  cloth  where  it  is  to  be  cut,  pin 
the  selvedges  together  on  each  side,  crease,  and  cut  on 
the  crease.  In  materials  in  which  the  threads  are  plainly 


SCISSORS    AND    CUTTING. 


I  I 


marked,  either  by  plaids  or  stripes,  there  is  no  need  of 
drawing  a  thread  or  folding  the  cloth. 


Pig.  3.  —  Showing  a  bias  cut.       Fig.  4.  —  Showing  an  exact  bias  cut. 

To  cut  bias,  cut  on  a  slanting  line  across  both  the  warp 
and  the  woof. 

To  cut  an  exact  bias,  lay  the  selvedge  or  a  warp  thread 
of  the  cloth,  on  a  line  with  a  woof  thread,  and  cut  on  the 
fold. 

What  is  a  pair  of  scissors?  Name  the  different  kinds  of  scissors.  How  should 
shears  be  held  ?  How  can  cloth  be  cut  straight  ?  How  can  it  be  cut  when  a  thread 
is  not  easily  drawn?  How  is  an  exact  bias  cut? 


PART    II. 


PLAIN    SEWING. 

Sewing  is  work  done  with  the  needle  and  thread. 
The  following  directions   should   be   before   the    pupil 
during  class  work.1 


Fig.    5.  —  Measure. 

The  above  represents  a  three  inch  rule,   to  use  when 
certain    measurements    are    required.     The   first   inch  is 
divided  into  halves  and    quarters,   the  second    inch   into 
eighths,  and  the  third  inch  into  sixteenths. 
Fractions  of  a  yard :  — 

3  feet  or  36  inches  is  a  yard. 

27  inches  is  three  quarters  of  a  yard. 

1 8  inches  is  one  half  of  a  yard. 

9  inches  is  a  quarter  of  a  yard. 

4^  inches  is  an  eighth  of  a  yard. 

2^  inches  is  a  sixteenth  of  a  yard. 

'    How  many  inches  in  a  yard  ?     Three  quarters  of  a  yard  ?    One  half  ?    A  quarter  ? 
An  eighth  ?     A  sixteenth  ? 

1  The  illustrations  generally  represent  the  stitches  enlarged. 


14  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

DRILLS. 

Drill  No,  1,  —  For  practice   in   using    the    needle    and 
thimble. 

Materials.  —  A  needle  and  a  thimble. 

Directions.  —  i .   Place  the  thimble  on  the  second  finder 

o 

of  the  right  hand. 

2.  Hold  the  pointed  end  of  the  needle  between  the  end 
of  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  right  hand. 

3.  Place  the  thimble  on  the  eye  of  the  needle. 

4.  Push  the  needle  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger, 
being  careful  not  to  cramp  the  other  fingers. 

5.  With  the   left  hand   push   the   point  back  into   its 
former  position. 

6.  Repeat  until  it  can  be  done  easily. 


Drill  No.  2.  —  For  practice  in  the  motion  of  stitching, 
hemming,  etc. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  and  a  strip  of 
white  cotton  cloth. 


\ 
Fig.   6  — Showing  the  work   and   hands   in   position. 

Directions.  —  I .   Thread  the  needle,  but  make  no  knot. 
2.    Hold  the  cloth  over  the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand, 


DRILLS.  I  5 

keeping  it  in  place  with  the  thumb  and  second  finger,  as 
in  Fig.  6. 

3.  Hold  the  needle  between  the  thumb  and  the  fore- 
finger of  the  right  hand. 

4.  Insert  the  needle  from    right  to  left,  taking  up  a 
little  of  the  cloth,  and  push  the  needle  nearly  through. 

5.  Take  the  pointed   end  of  the   needle  between  the 
thumb  and  cushion  of  the  forefinger  of  the  right  hand. 

6.  Draw  the  needle  and  thread  through,  bringing  the 
thimble  finger  down  near  the  forefinger,  with  the  thread 
passing  between  the  third  and  little  fingers.     Keep  the 
little  finger  nearly  straight  to  guide  the  thread. 

7.  Repeat  until  the  motion  is  learned. 


Drill  No.  3.  —  For  practice  in  the  motion  of  basting, 
running,  gathering,  etc. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  and  a  strip 
of  cotton  cloth. 


Fig.  7.  —  Showing  the  work  and  hands  in  position. 


i6 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Directions.  —  I.   Have  the  needle  threaded,  but   make 
no  knot. 

2.  Hold  the  cloth  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger 
of  each  hand,  as  in  Fig.  7. 

3.  With  the  right  elbow  away  from  the  side,  put  the 
point  of  the  needle  through  a  few  threads  of  the  cloth, 
placing  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the  right  hand  over  it. 

4.  Pressing  the  end  of  the  thimble  against  the  eye  of 
the  needle,  take  three  or  more  stitches  in  the  cloth  over 
the  cushion  of  the  left  forefinger,  moving  only  the  elbow 
joint.      (Fig.  7.) 

5.  Draw  the  needle  and  thread  through  as   in   Drill 
No.  2. 

6.  Repeat  until  the  motion  is  learned. 


Drill  No.  4.  —  For  practice  in  the  motion  of  overcasting. 
Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  and  a  folded 
edge  of  cotton  cloth. 


Fig.  8.  —  Showing  the  work  and  hand  in  position. 

Directions.  —  I.    Have   the  needle  threaded,   but  make 
no  knot. 


DRILLS.  I/ 

2.  Hold  the  fold  of  the  cloth  slanting  across  the  edge 
of  the  cushion  of  the  left  forefinger,  keeping  it  in  place 
with  the  thumb  and  second  finger,  as  in  Fig.  8. 

3.  Put  the  needle  in  from  the  back  of  the  fold,  point- 
ing it  towards  the  left  shoulder. 

4.  Draw  the   needle  and  thread  through  as   in   Drill 
No.  2. 


Drill  No.  5.  —  For  practice  in  the  motion  of  over- 
handing. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  and  a  folded 
edge  of  cotton  cloth. 


Fig.  9.  — Showing  the  work  and  hand  in  position. 

Directions. —  i.  Have  the  needle  threaded,  but  make  no 
knot. 

2.  Hold  the  fold  of  cloth  horizontally  along  the  edge 
of  the  cushion  of  the  left  forefinger,  and  around  the  end' 
of  the  finger,  keeping  it  in  place  with  the  thumb  and 
second  finger,  as  in  Fig.  9. 


18 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


3.  Hold  the  right  elbow  away  from  the  side,  without 
bending  the  wrist,  and  so  that  the  palm  of  the  hand  is 
towards  you. 

4.  Insert  the  needle  from  the  back  of  the  fold,  point- 
ing it  directly  towards  the  chest. 

5.  Draw  the  needle   and  thread   through   as   in   Drill 
No.  2. 

CANVAS-WORK. 

The  stitches  in  sewing  can  be  easily  learnt  on  canvas, 
using  bright-colored  single  or  split  zephyr,  according  to 
the  quality  of  the  canvas. 


pig.  10.  —  Showing  different  stitches  taken  on  canvas. 


CREASING    AND    PINCHING.  19 

Fig.  10  represents  a  corner  of  a  square  of  canvas,  with 
the  stitches  taken  in  the  following  order:  - 

1.  Uneven  basting.  6.   Catch-stitch. 

2.  Running.  7.   Button-hole  stitch. 

3.  Stitching.  8.   Darning. 

4.  Overcasting.  9.  The  edges  are  worked  with 

5.  Overhanding.  the  blanket  or  loop-stitch. 


CREASING    AND    PINCHING. 

A  crease  for  sewing  is  made  by  folding  the  cloth,  and 
pressing  the  edge  until  a  line  is  made,  which  serves  to 
sew  on. 

Materials,  —  A  ten-inch  strip  of  bleached  or  half- 
bleached  cotton  cloth.  (A  more  distinct  line  can  be 
made  on  the  bleached  than  on  the  half-bleached  cotton 
cloth.) 


Fig.  II.  —  Showing  the  position  of  the  hands. 

Creasing.  —  i .   Hold  the  cloth  firmly  with  the  hands  as 


in  Fig.  1 1. 


2O  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

2.  Beginning  at  the  upper  right-hand  end  of  the  cloth, 
turn  down  towards  you  the  edge  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in 
depth,  for  three  or  four  inches. 

3.  Holding  the  cloth  tightly  between  the  hands,  crease 
the  edge  with  the  end  of  the  thumb-nail  and  the  cushion 
of  the  left  forefinger,  until  it  will  remain  flat  and  has  a 
sharp  edge. 

4.  Fold  and  crease  the  next  three  inches  in  the  same 
manner,  and  so  continue  to  the  end. 

5.  Holding  the  right-hand  corner  of  the  fold   firmly, 
crease  the  entire  length. 

Pinching-,  —  i .  At  the  right  end  of  the  crease,  lay  a 
half-inch  fold  between  the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  the 
right  hand. 

2.  Lay  another  over  this,  and  so  on,  until  all  the  cloth 
is  folded. 

3.  Pinch  the  folds,  and  turn  up  the  edge. 

4.  Turn  the  other  side  of  the  cloth   towards  you,  and 
the  sharp  edge  will  serve  as  a  line  to  sew  on. 

If  the  cloth  has  been  well  creased,  pinching  is  seldom 
necessary. 

What  is  a  crease  ?  What  purpose  does  it  serve  in  sewing  ?  How  should  you 
hold  the  cloth  in  creasing?  At  which  end  should  you  begin?  Ho,v  is  the  edge 
turned  ?  '  How  is  it  creased  ?  How  should  the  edge  of  the  fold  look  ?  After  the 
cloth  has  been  once  creased,  what  should  be  done  to  the  entire  length  ?  After 
turning  up  the  edge,  what  should  be  done  ?  Why  ? 


BASTING. 


21 


BASTING. 

Basting  is  done  by  taking  long  stitches  to  keep  the 
cloth  in  place  for  sewing. 

Materials,  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  colored  thread,  pins, 
and  a  half-yard  strip  of  cotton  cloth,  with  one  of  the  long 
sides  creased. 


Fig,    12. —  Showing  even   basting  stitches,   needle   inserted. 

In  even  basting,  make  the  stitches  short  and  alike  on 
both  sides.  This  method  of  basting  is  used  for  the  seams 
of  a  dress-waist,  or  for  several  thicknesses  of  cloth. 


Fig,    13,  —  Showing  uneven  basting  stitches,  needle  in  position. 

In  uneven  basting,  take  stitches  half-an-inch  long  on 
the  upper  side,  and  as  small  as  possible  on  the  under  side. 
This  is  the  proper  basting  for  ordinary  work,  as  the 
stitches  serve  for  a  guide  in  sewing. 


22 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


The    basting,  in  Fig.  14,  is  done  by  taking  one  long 
and  two  short  stitches  alternately. 


M\0?3Mu^H%^llM*M*tw^ 

1 


Fig.    14.  —  Showing  a  method  of  basting  used  on   heavy  cloth, 
needle  in  the  proper  position  for  putting  away  the  work. 

Basting,  —  Practise  Drill  No.  3  (page  15). 

1.  Make  a  knot  in  the  thread  to  hold  it  securely. 

2.  Begin  at  the  right-hand  side  of  the  cloth. 

3.  Place  the  right-hand  corners  exactly  together,  hav- 
ing the  sharp  edge  of  the  crease  towards  you. 

\*****»*s»*j{jtotlt***~*9&l***6''  I\W/A\\I.-I/^  »i"W;  ihWftfc* 


Fig.    15.  —  Showing  the  needle  in   position  for  beginning. 

4.  Insert  the  needle  on  the  crease  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  from  the  end  of  the  cloth,  and  take  up  a  few  threads 

(Fig.  15)- 

5.  Let   the  needle  remain   in   the  cloth,   and  pin   the 
opposite  ends  together,  by  placing  a  pin  vertically  through 
the  cloth. 

6.  Put  a  pin  in  the  middle  vertically. 


STITCHING.  23 

7.  Draw   the   needle   through,    and   proceed  with   the 
basting  required,  holding  the  work  as  in  Fig.  7  (page  15), 
taking  each  stitch  on  the  crease,  and  keeping  the  edges 
even. 

8.  Fasten  the  thread  securely  by  taking  three  or  four 
stitches  in  the  same  place. 

Suggestions.  —  Never  sew  without  basting,  or  when  the 
threads  are  loose.  If  a  child  tries  to  sew  without  having 
the  work  basted,  it  will  pucker,  and  must  be  ripped  out. 
The  short  stitches  on  the  under  side  keep  the  cloth  in 
place,  and  prevent  it  from  slipping.  Take  short  basting 
stitches  for  hand  work,  but  longer  stitches  may  be  taken 
for  machine  sewing.  When  learning  to  baste,  only  one 
stitch  at  a  time  should  be  taken,  but  later  several  stitches 
can  be  taken  before  drawing  the  needle  through.  Basting 
threads  should  be  taken  out  when  the  work  is  finished. 

How  is  basting  done  ?  How  are  the  stitches  made  in  even  basting  ?  For  what 
purpose  is  even  basting  used  ?  How  should  uneven  basting  stitches  be  taken  ? 
What  is  the  first  step  in  basting?  Where  begin?  What  should  be  done  to  the 
corners  ?  How  must  the  edges  be  held  ?  Where  do  you  insert  the  needle  ?  Before 
drawing  it  through,  what  should  be  done?  Where  should  each  stitch  be  taken? 
How  should  the  thread  be  fastened?  What  purpose  do  the  short  stitches  on  the 
under  side  serve  ?  When  the  work  is  finished,  what  should  be  done  ? 


STITCHING. 

Stitching  is  done  by  taking  a  stitch  backward  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  cloth,  and  a  longer  stitch  forward  on 
the  under  side,  making  the  stitches  meet. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  and  a  half 
yard  strip  of  cotton  cloth,  doubled  and  basted. 

Stitching.  —  Practise  Drill  No.  2  (page  14). 


24 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


1.  Make  a  small  knot  in  the  thread. 

2.  Hold  the  work  over  the  cushion   of  the  left  fore- 
finger, as  in  Fig.  6  (page  14). 

3.  Insert  the  needle  at  the  right-hand  corner  of  the 
cloth,   between  the  edges  of  the  seam,  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  from  the  end,  and  one  thread  of  the  cloth  below  the 
basting. 

4.  Draw  the  needle  and  thread  through. 

5.  Put  the  point  of  the  needle  back  a  few  threads  from 
where  the  needle  comes  through  the  cloth,  and  bring  it 
out  the  same  distance  beyond. 


Fig.  16.  —  Showing  the  stitches 


6.  Continue,  putting  the  needle  back  each  time   into 
the  last  stitch. 

7.  Make  the  stitches  even  and  keep  the  seaia  straight 
(Fig.  1 6),  leaving  one  thread  of  the  cloth  between  the 
stitches  and  the  basting. 

8.  Fasten  the  thread,  by  inverting  the  cloth,  and  tak- 
ing a  few  stitches  directly  over  the  last  ones  made. 

9.  Join  the  thread,  by  making  a  small  knot,  and  con- 
cealing it  in  the  seam;  or  by  taking  one  stitch  with  the 
new   thread,    leaving   half-an-inch    of   the   thread    to    be 
brought  to  the  left,  and  to  be  sewed  over  with  the  next 
few  stitches,  allowing  it  to  wind  in  and  out. 


HALF-BACKST1TCHING.  25 

Suggestions.  —  In  the  same  manner  sew  all  seams  hav- 
ing raw  edges,  if  a  strain  is  coming  on  them,  as  in 
shoulder  seams,  the  seams  of  drawers,  etc.  A  bias  seam 
should  be  sewed  from  the  broad  part  to  the  narrow. 

How  is  stitching  done  ?  How  is  the  work  held  ?  Where  is  the  needle  first 
inserted  ?  Where  next  ?  Where  is  it  brought  out  ?  As  you  continue,  where  should 
the  needle  always  be  inserted?  How  should  the  stitches  be  made?  How  many 
threads  of  the  cloth  should  be  left  between  the  basting  and  the  stitches?  How 
should  the  thread  be  fastened  ?  How  should  the  thread  be  joined  ? 


HALF-BACKSTITCHING. 


Fig.   17.  —  Showing  the  stitches  and  the  needle  in  position. 

Half-backstitchin'g  is  the  same  as  stitching,  except 
that  the  needle  is  put  only  half-way  back,  thus  leaving  a 
space  between  the  stitches  (Fig.  17). 

How  does  half-backstitching  differ  from  stitching  ? 


HEMMING. 

A  hem  is  a  fold,  made  by  twice  turning  over  the  edge 
of  a  piece  of  cloth,  and  then  sewing  it  down. 

Materials.  —  No.  9  needle,  No.  70  thread,  and  a  strip 
of  cotton  cloth. 


26 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


To  prepare  the  hem,  make  a  fold  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
wide,  and  crease;  then  fold  again  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
deep  and  crease.  Baste  near  the  edge  of  the  first  fold 
with  uneven  basting  stitches.  For  wider  hems,  have  the 
first  fold  one-fourth  of  an  inch  wide,  being  careful  to  crease 
it  thoroughly,  as  much  depends  upon  this;  crease  the 
second  fold  the  required  width,  which  can  be  done  evenly, 
by  measuring  every  two  inches  with  a  paper  or  other 
measure.  If  a  very  wide  hem  is  required,  baste  as  you 
measure,  first  along  the  upper  edge  of  the  hem,  and  then 
along  the  lower  edge.  On  woollen  cloth,  baste  down  the 
first  narrow  fold,  then  baste  as  for  a  hem  on  cotton  cloth. 


Fig.   18.  —  Showing  the  needle  in  position  for  beginning  the  work. 


Hemming.  —  Practise  Drill  No.  2  (page  14). 

1.  Have  no  knot  in  the  thread. 

2.  Hold  the  hem  across  the  cushion  of  the  left  fore- 
finger, as  in  Fig.  6  (page  14). 

3.  Pointing  the  needle  from  you,  insert  it  at  the  edge 
of  the  fold,  one-third  of  an  inch  from  the  right-hand  end, 
and  bring  it  out  close  to  the  end,  as  in  Fig.  18. 

4.  Carefully  draw  the  needle  through,  leaving  a  little 
of  the  thread  at  the  end,  to  be  tucked  under  the  hem  with 


HEMMING.  27 

the  point  of  the  needle,  and  to  be  sewed  down  with  the 
first  stitches. 

5.  Take,  up  one  or  two  threads  of  the  cloth,  and  one 
or  two  threads  of  the  fold,  keeping  the  needle  on  a  line 
with  the  hem,  and  pointing  towards  the  left  shoulder. 


pjg.   |9.  —  Showing  the  work  as  it  looks  on  the  right  side. 

6.  Draw    the    needle    out    and   continue,    making   the 
stitches  close  and  slanting  (Figs.  19  and  20). 

7.  When  the  thread  becomes  too  short  for  use,  either 
cut  or  break  it. 


Fig.  20.  —  Showing  the  work  as  it  looks  on  the  wrong  side;  and  how  to 
join  the  thread,  the  double  line  representing  the  old  thread,  and 
the  black  line  the  new  thread. 

8.  To  join  the  thread  (Fig.  20).  If  there  is  no  end 
left  of  the  thread,  pick  out  a  few  stitches,  always  leaving 
the  end  between  tJie  hem.  With  the  needle,  draw  the  end 
under  the  fold,  and  towards  the  thumb.  Begin  with  a 


28  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

new  needleful,  as  when  commencing  the  work,  putting 
the  needle  into  the  last  hole  the  short  end  came  out  of, 
and  sewing  both  ends  down  with  the  next  stitches. 

9.  At  the  end  of  the  work,  fasten  the  thread  by  taking 
two  or  three  stitches  over  each  other  in  the  fold. 

Suggestions.  —  Hems  should  be  begun  and  finished  by 
neatly  overhanding  the  ends  of  the  fold.  A  narrow  hem 
on  stiff  cloth,  as  on  table  linen,  need  not  be  basted.  The 
seams  of  a  garment  should  be  sewed  before  hemming,  to 
conceal  the  edges.  Before  turning  the  first  fold,  the 
end  of  the  seam  should  be  cut  to  avoid  extra  thicknesses 
and  wear  ;  when  basting  the  hem,  seams  or  stripes 
should  exactly  match.  In  sewing,  to  hold  a  wide  hem 
easily,  fold  it  over  and  over  until  it  is  a  convenient  width. 

What  is  a  hem  ?  How  should  the  hem  be  folded  ?  Where  and  how  should  it  be 
basted?  How  many  times  should  a  wide  hem  be  basted?  How  many  times  should 
a  wide  hem  on  woollen  cloth  be  basted  ?  Should  there  be  a  knot  in  the  thread  ?  How 
is  the  hem  held  ?  How  should  the  needle  point  ?  Where  is  the  needle  inserted  ? 
How  should  the  thread  be  drawn  through?  What  is  done  with  the  end?  How  is 
the  stitch  made?  How  should  the  needle  be  held?  How  should  the  stitches  be 
taken  ?  In  joining  the  thread,  where  should  the  end  of  the  old  thread  be  left  ? 
Where  should  the  end  be  drawn  ?  In  starting  with  a  new  needleful  of  thread,  where 
should  the  needle  be  put  ?  What  should  be  done  with  the  two  ends  ?  In  fastening, 
where  and  how  should  the  stitches  be  taken  ?  What  should  be  done  to  the  ends  of  a 
hem  ? 


RUNNING. 

Running  is  done  by  passing  the  needle  in  and  out  of 
the  material  at  regular  intervals. 

The  rule  for  running  is  to  take  up  two  threads  of  the 
cloth  and  pass  over  two  threads,  but  the  light  in  the  aver- 
age school-room  does  not  permit  this,  nor  is  it  wise  to 
strain  the  eyes  trying  to  do  so.  The  general  principle  is 
to  pass  over  as  much  of  the  cloth  as  you  take  up. 


RUNNING. 


29 


Materials.  —  No.   8  needle,   No.   50  thread,  and  a  half- 
yard  strip  of  cotton  cloth,  doubled  and  basted. 
Running.  —  Practise  Drill  No.  3  (page  15). 

1.  Make  a  small  knot  in  the  thread. 

2.  Hold  the  work  in  the  left  hand,  between  the  thumb 
and  cushion  of  the  forefinger,  as  in  Fig.  7  (page  15). 

3.  Sew  directly  below  the  basting. 

4.  Insert  the  needle  between  the  edges  of  the  seam,  at 
the  right-hand  corner,  and  take  the  stitches  (Fig.  21)  over 
the   cushion   of    the    left    forefinger,    as   in   Drill    No.    3 
(page  15). 


Fig.  21.  —  Showing  the  stitches,  and  the  needle  in  position. 

5.  Fasten,  by  putting  the  needle  through  to  the  under 
side,  and  taking  two  or  three  stitches  in  the  same  place. 

6.  Join  the  thread,  by  sewing  over  the  last  stitches,  or 
by  making  a  knot  and  concealing  it  between  the  edges  of 
the  seam. 

Suggestions.  —  To  avoid  puckering  in  running,  begin  at 
the  right  hand  and  smooth  the  seam  between  the  left 
thumb  and  forefinger.  Running  is  used  for  seams,  which 
do  not  require  great  strength,  also  for  tucking. 

How  is  running  done  ?  What  is  the  principle  to  be  followed  in  running  ?  How 
is  the  work  held  ?  Where  are  the  stitches  taken  ?  Where  is  the  needle  inserted  ? 
How  should  the  stitches  be  taken?  How  should  the  thread  be  fastened?  How 
should  the  thread  be  joined  ?  When  is  running  used  ? 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


RUNNING    AND    A    BACKSTITCH. 

Running  and  a  backstitch  consists  of  two  or  more  run- 
ning stitches  and  a  backstitch,  taken  alternately. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  and  a  half- 
yard  strip  of  cotton  cloth,  doubled  and  basted. 


Fig.  22.  —  Showing  the  stitches,  and  needle  in  position  for  putting 
away  the  work. 

Running  and  a  backstitch.  —  I .  Begin  as  for  running. 

2.  Take  three  running  stitches. 

3.  Take  one  backstitch. 

4.  Repeat,  which   will  cause   cv^ry  third   and  fourth 
stitch  to  meet  (Fig.  22). 

Suggestions.  —  Another  method  is  to  take  three  running 
stitches,  making  the  third  twice  the  length  of  the  others, 
and  then,  putting  the  needle  back  to  the  middle  of  the 
last  stitch,  proceed  as  before.  In  this  manner,  the  stitches 
on  the  right  side  resemble  running,  but  on  the  wrong  side 
there  is  a  slight  difference.  Running  and  a  backstitch  is 
used  when  the  seam  needs  to  be  sewed  a  little  stronger 
than  by  running. 

Of  what  does  running  and  a  backstitch  consist  ?  When  is  running  and  a  back- 
stitch used? 


OVERCASTING. 


OVERCASTING. 


Overcasting  is  done  by  taking  loose  stitches  over  the 
raw  edge  of  cloth,  to  keep  it  from  ravelling. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  and  a  stitched 
strip  of  cotton  cloth. 


Fig.  23.  —  Showing  the  stitches,  and  needle  in  position. 


Overcasting.  —  Practise  Drill  No.  4  (page  16). 

1.  Find  one-eighth  of    an  inch  and  one-fourth  of   an 
inch  on  the  measure  (page  13). 

2.  Place  the  thumb-nail  on  the  cloth  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  below  the  raw  edge.     The  stitches  are  to  be  of  this 
depth,  and  twice  as  far,  or  one-fourth  of  an  inch,  apart. 

3.  Make  a  small  knot  in  the  thread. 

4.  Hold  the  work  over  the  left  forefinger,  as  in  Fig.  8 
(page  1 6). 

5.  Begin  at  the  right-hand  end  of  the  seam. 

6.  Insert  the  needle  one-eighth  of  an  inch  below  the 
edge,  and  between  the  edges  of  the  seam,  in  order  to  hide 
the  knot. 

7.  Pointing  the  needle  towards  the  left  shoulder,  take 


32  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

the  next  stitch  one-fourth  of  an  inch  to  the  left,  and  over 
both  edges  of  the  cloth. 

8.  Continue,  taking  up  the  same   number  of   threads 
each  time,  being  careful  to  make  the  spaces  equal. 

9.  Do  not  draw  the  stitches  tightly,  but  let  them  lie 
loosely  over  the  edge  (Fig.  23). 

10.  To    fasten    the    thread,    draw    the    needle    nearly 
through   the   cloth   where  the  next  stitch    should    come. 
Turn  over  the  cloth,  withdraw  the  needle,  and  fasten  the 
thread  at  this  point,   being  careful  that   the  stitches  do 
not  show  on  the  right  side. 

11.  To  join  the  thread,  make  a  small  kn®t  in  the  new 
thread,  and  put  the  needle  between  the  edges  of  the  seam, 
through  the  little  hole,  which  was  made  when  the  needle 
was  withdrawn. 

Suggestions.  —  Before  overcasting,  take  out  the  basting 
threads  and  trim  the  edges  evenly.  All  seams  whose 
edges  ravel  should  be  overcast,  and,  therefore,  a  selvedge 
seam  does  not  need  to  be  overcast.  Overcasting  is  very 
difficult  to  do  nicely.  The  above  directions  are  for  over- 
casting on  underclothes,  etc.  In  overcasting  a  dress 
waist,  or  any  fine  material,  smaller  stitches  should  be 
taken.  A  bias  seam  should  be  overcast  from  the  broad 
part  to  the  narrow,  or  with  the  grain  of  the  cloth. 

What  is  overcasting  ?  How  deep  are  the  stitches  taken  ?  How  far  apart  ?  How 
is  the  work  held  ?  At  which  end  is  the  work  begun  ?  Where  is  the  needle  inserted  ? 
Why  ?  How  should  the  needle  point  ?  How  far  to  the  left  should  the  next  stitch  be 
taken  ?  How  do  you  continue  with  the  stitches  ?  How  is  the  thread  fastened  ?  How 
is  the  thread  joined  ?  What  should  be  done  before  overcasting  ?  When  does  a  seam 
need  to  be  overcast  ?  How  is  a  bias  seam  overcast  ? 


OVERHANDING. 


33 


OVERHANDING. 

Overhanding  is  done  by  sewing  closely  over  two  edges 
of  cloth.  The  edge  of  the  cloth  may  be  either  a  selvedge 
or  a  creased  fold. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  and  either 
two  selvedge  strips  or  two  folded  strips  of  cotton  cloth, 
carefully  basted  together  with  even  stitches,  near  the 
edge. 


Fig.  24. — Showing  overhanding  stitches,  needle  in  position. 

Overhanding. — -Practise  Drill  No.  5  (page  17). 

1 .  Have  no  knot  in  the  thread. 

2.  Hold   the  work  horizontally  along  the  edge  of  tJie 
cusJiion    of  the    left  forefinger,    and   around   the    end    of 
the  finger,   as  in  Fig.  9   (page   17). 

3.  Pointing  the  needle  towards  you,   insert  it  at    the 
edge   nearest   you,    taking   up    two   or    three    threads    of 
the  cloth. 

4.  Carefully  draw  the  thread  through,  leaving  half-an- 
inch  of  the  thread. 

5.  Hold  the  half-inch  of  thread  down  with  the  thumb, 
so  that  it  may  be  sewed  over  by  the  first  stitches  (Fig. 
26,  a). 


34 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


6     Pointing  the  needle  towards  the  chest,  put  it  through 
both  edges,  taking  up  as  little  of  the  cloth  as  possible.  * 


Fig.  25. -Showing  how  the  stitches  should  look  on  the  under  side 
with  the  seam  opened. 

7.  Take  the  stitches  at  the  side  of  the  cushion,  and 
make  them  close  and  even,  having  perpendicular  lines  on 
the  under  side  of  the  .seam  (Fig.  25),  and  oblique  lines 
across  the  edges  (Fig.  24). 


end7f?h    7h"^       ,    gSS  °f  the  S6am   bein«  ^Parated,  how  the 
Took  on  tt       6,      'S  d  m  beg''nning.  how  the  stitches  should 

look  on  the  s,de  towards  you,  and    how    to   join    the    thread  (the 
double  ,,ne  representing  the  old  thread,  and  the  b.ack  line  the    ew 


OVERHANDING. 


35 


8.  Joining  the  thread  (Fig.  26).  When  the  thread 
becomes  too  short  for  use,  draw  the  needle  through  the 
further  edge  of  the  cloth,  as  in  taking  a  stitch.  Insert 
the  needle  at  the  opposite  edge,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  to 
the  left,  taking  up  one  thread  of  the  cloth.  Draw  the 
thread  through,  and  remove  the  needle.  Have  no  knot  in 
the  new  thread.  Pointing  the  needle  from  you,  insert  it 
at  the  hole  where  the  old  thread  is  hanging.  Draw  the 
thread  through  until  about  an  inch  is  left,  and  hold  the 
end  under  the  thumb.  Pointing  the  needle  towards  you, 
insert  it  at  the  nearest  edge,  exactly  opposite  the  last 
stitch  on  the  other  edge.  Hold  the  ends  under  the 
thumb,  while  the  threads  along  the  top  are  being  over- 
handed  ;  afterwards,  cut  the  ends  off. 


Fig.  27.  —  Showing  another  way  of  joining  the  thread. 

The  thread  can  also  be  joined  as  in  Fig.  27.  If  pre- 
ferred, a  knot  can  be  used  by  beginning  back  and  sewing 
over  a  few  stitches,  and  afterwards  cutting  off  the  knot. 

9.  Finish  the  seam  by  turning  the  work  around,  and 
overhanding  back  four  or  five  stitches  ;  this  will  fasten  the 
thread  securely. 

10.  When  the  seam  is  finished,  draw  out  the  basting 
thread,  open  the  seam,  and  rub  it  first  on  one  side  and 
then  on  the  other  with  the  thumb-nail  until  it  is  flat. 


36  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

Suggestions,  —  This  stitch  is  sometimes  called  "  top- 
sewing,"  also  "over  and  over."  The  stitches  should  only 
be  deep  enough  to  hold,  taking  care  to  avoid  making  a 
ridge  in  the  seam.  The  work  will  not  pucker  if  the 
needle  is  pointed  towards  the  chest,  and  the  stitches  are 
taken  at  the  side  of  the  cushion,  not  around  the  end  of  the 
finger.  The  necessity  of  taking  the  stitches  properly  is 
shown  by  overhanding  two  pieces  of  striped  cloth.  Either 
side  of  the  sewing  may  be  used  as  the  right  side.  A  seam 
in  stiff  material  can  be  pressed  open  by  holding  it  between 
the  thumb  and  forefinger  of  each  hand  and  rubbing. 

How  is  overhanding  done  ?  How  should  the  work  be  held  ?  How  and  where  should 
the  needle  be  inserted  ?  What  should  be  done  with  the  end  of  the  thread  ?  How  are 
the  stitches  made?  Mention  one  way  of  joining  the  thread.  How  should  the  seam 
be  finished  ?  What  is  done  after  the  seam  is  finished  ? 


GATHERING  AND  PLACING  OF  GATHERS. 

Gathering  is  done  by  running  the  needle  in  and  out  of 
the  cloth,  passing  over  twice  as  much  cloth  as  is  taken  up. 
It  is  used  in  joining  a  full  part  to  a  plain  part,  as  an  apron 
to  a  band. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  and  a  large  blunt-pointed 
needle,  No.  40  thread,  and  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  half-a- 
yard  long  and  seven  inches  wide,  hemmed  at  the  sides 
and  lower  edge,  and  creased  at  the  top. 

Gathering.  —  Practise  Drill  No.  3  (page  15). 

I.  Find  the  middle  of  the  creased  edge,  and  mark  the 
place  by  cutting  a  small  notch  in  the  edge  (Fig.  28),  or 
by  making  a  cross-stitch  with  colored  thread,  one  inch 
from  the  edge  (Fig.  28). 


GATHERING. 


37 


2.  Use  a  single  or  double  thread  a  little  longer  than 
the  space  to  be  gathered.     A  double  thread  helps  to  keep 
the  gathers  in  place,  but  is  more  apt  to  knot  than  a  single 
thread. 

3.  Make  a  good- sized  knot  in  the  thread,   so  that  it 
cannot  slip  through  the  cloth. 

4.  With  the  right  side  of  the  cloth  towards  you,  hold 
the  work  in  the  left  hand,  between  the  thumb  and  cushion 
of  the  forefinger,  as  in  Fig.  7  (page  15). 

5.  Insert  the  needle  on  the  wrong  side,  so  as  to  conceal 
the  knot,  and  through  the  hem  to  keep  the  knot  secure. 


Fig.  28.  —  Showing  the  middle  marked  by  a  notch  and  by  a  cross- 
stitch,  also  showing  gathering  stitches. 

6.  Sew  on  the  crease,  taking  several  stitches  before 
drawing  the  needle  through. 

7.  Do  not  count  the  threads,  but  take  up  about  half  as 
many  as  you  skip,  i.e.,  take  up  two  threads  and  pass  over 
four  threads  (Fig.  28). 

8.  If  a  knot,  that  cannot  be  untied,  comes  in  the  gather- 
ing thread,  you  will  have  to  begin  again. 

9.  When  the  seam  is  finished,  remove  the  needle  from 
the  thread,  and  make  a  knot,  in  this  end  of  the  thread. 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


10.  Put  a  pin  in  vertically,  close  to  the  last  stitch,  tak- 
ing up  a  few  threads  of  the  cloth. 

11.  Carefully  draw  up  the  thread,  but  not  too  tightly. 


Fig.  29.  —  Showing  the  thread  drawn  up,  and  fastened  around  a  pin. 

12.  Wind  the  thread  over  the  top,  and  under  the  point 
of  the  pin  a  number  of  times,  crossing  the  threads  at  the 
middle  of  the  pin  (Fig.  29). 


Fig.  30.  —  Showing  the  placing  of  gathers,  with  a  large  blunt  needle. 

Placing  or  stroking  of  gathers.  —  i .  With  the  right  side 
towards  you,  begin  at  the  /r//-hand  edge. 


GATHERING.  39 

2.  Hold   the  work  between  the  left  thumb  and  fore- 
finger,   as    in    Fig.    30,    keeping    the    thumb    below    the 
gathering  thread. 

3.  Put  the  point  of  the  large  needle  under  the  gather- 
ing thread,  holding  it  obliquely. 

4.  Press  the  needle  towards  the  thumb,  bringing  the 
little    plait   under    the    thumb,    and    drawing    the   needle 
downwards. 

5.  Pinch  it  down  tightly. 

6.  Continue  in  this  way,  putting  the  needle  under  each 
stitch. 

Suggestions.  —  The  part  to  be  gathered  should  be  divided 
into  halves,  quarters,  or  eighths,  according  to  the  width. 
When  the  part  is  only  divided  into  halves,  a  notch  may  be 
avoided  by  beginning  the  gathering  in  the  middle. 

In  placing,  the  eye  of  the  needle  can  be  used  instead  of 
a  blunt-pointed  needle.  The  upper  part  of  the  gathers 
often  need  a  stroke  of  the  needle.  If  a  scratching  sound 
is  made  in  placing,  marks  are  apt  to  be  left,  and  the  cloth 
torn.  In  thin,  stiff  materials,  instead  of  placing,  many 
stitches  can  be  taken  on  the  needle  at  once,  and  before 
drawing  the  needle  through,  push  them  close  together  ; 
holding  firmly,  pull  them  into  place  and  press  them. 

How  is  gathering  done  ?  When  is  it  used  ?  How  is  the  cloth  prepared  ?  How 
long  a  thread  should  be  used  ?  What  kind  of  a  knot  is  required  ?  How  is  the  work 
held  ?  How  are  the  stitches  taken  ?  What  is  done  after  the  seam  is  finished  ?  How 
should  the  thread  be  drawn  ?  How  should  the  thread  be  wound  ?  At  which  end 
should  stroking  begin?  How  is  the  work  held  in  stroking?  Where  should  the 
needle  be  put  ?  What  is  done  next  ? 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


DOUBLE    GATHERING    OR    GAUGING. 

Double  gathering  is  done  by  making  two  rows  of 
gathering,  with  the  stitches  of  the  second  row  directly 
under  those  of  the  first. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  40  thread,  and  two 
pieces  of  cotton  cloth,  each  half-a-yard  long  and  seven 
inches  wide,  hemmed  at  the  sides  and  lower  edge. 


Fig.  31.  —  Showing  double  gathering  on  single  material. 


Double  gathering  on  single  material,  —  i .  Gather  one- 
fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  raw  edge. 

2.  When  the  end  is  reached,  remove  the  needle,  but  do 
not  draw  up  the  thread. 

•3.  Make  a  crease  one-fourth  of  an  inch  below  the 
gathering. 

4.  On  the  crease  make  another  row  of  gathering,  taking 
each  stitch  directly  beloiv  the  one  above  it  (Fig.  31). 

5.  Remove  the  needle. 

6.  Take    hold    of    both    threads    near    the    cloth,    and 
gradually  draw  the  gathers  up  to  the  required  width. 


DOUBLE    GATHERING.  4! 

Double  gathering  which  is  to  be  overhanded  on  to  a  binding. 

-  i.    Find  the  middle  of  the  cloth,  and  mark  it  one  and 
a  half  inches  from  the  raw  edge  by  a  cross-stitch. 

2.  Crease  one  inch  from  the  raw  edge  of  the  cloth,  and 
let  it  remain  folded. 

3.  Make  two  or  more  rows  of  gathering,  the  first  row 
being  one-eighth  of  an  inch  from  the  edge  of  the  fold. 

Suggestions.  —  When  double  gathering  is  used,  there  is 
no  need  of  placing.  Double  gathering  should  be  used  on 
woollen  materials,  and  quite  long  stitches  be  taken,  if  there 
is  much  fulness.  Where  the  gathers  are  large,  the  second 
row  can  be  easily  made  by  closely  drawing  up  the  first 
gathering  thread,  and  inserting  the  needle  through  many 
gathers  at  once. 

How  is  double  gathering  done  ?  How  far  from  the  edge  should  the  first  row,  in 
single  material,  be  made?  In  double  material?  How  is  the  middle  of  the  cloth 
marked  for  double  gathering,  that  is  to  be  overhanded  to  a  binding  ? 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


SHIRRING. 

Shirring  is  done  by  making  several  rows  of  running, 
parallel  with  each  other. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  40  thread,  and  a  piece 
of  cotton  cloth  half-a-yard  long  and  twelve  inches  wide. 
The  cloth  should  be  folded  lengthwise  and  basted. 


Fig.  32. —  Showing  shirring,  and  the  stitches. 


Shirring.  —  I .    Begin  as  in  running. 

2.  Make  the  required  number  of  rows  at  the  desired 
distances  from  each  other  (Fig.  32). 

3.  Draw  the  gathers  up  on  the  threads,   or  by  cords 
run  between  the  rows. 

How  is  shirring  done  ?     How  are  the  gathers  drawn  up  ? 


SCALLOPED    EDGE. 


43 


SCALLOPED    EDGE. 

A  scalloped  edge  is  used  as  a  fancy  heading  for  fulness. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  a  strip  of  soft 
woollen  cloth,  and  strong  silk  or  thread  to  match  in  color. 

Scalloped  edge.  —  i .  Fold  one  of  the  lengthwise  edges 
five-eighths  of  an  inch  from  the  edge,  and  baste  close  to 
the  raw  edge. 

2.  On  the  wrong  side,  arid  beginning  at  the  right-hand 
end,  mark  the  outer  edge  of  the  fold  into  inches  with  a 
colored  pencil. 


Fig.  33.  —  Showing  a  scalloped  edge. 


3.  Half-an-inch  below  the  outer  edge  of  the  fold,  and 
beginning    half-an-inch    from    the  right-hand    end,  make 
another  row  of  dots  one  inch  apart.     These  dots  should 
be  midway  between  those  of  the  upper  row. 

4.  Make  a  good-sized  knot,  and  inserting  the  needle  at 
the  upper   right-hand   dot,   take   small   running   stitches, 
slanting  up  and  down,  from  dot  to  dot  (Fig.  33). 

5.  Carefully  draw  up  the  thread  every  few  inches. 

For  what  is  a  scalloped  edge  used  ?     What  kind  of  stitches  are  taken  ? 


44 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


HONEY-COMBING    OR    SMOCKING. 

Honey-combing  is  drawing  fulness  together  for  orna- 
mental effect. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  a  piece  of  fine  woollen  cloth 
eleven  inches  long  and  three  and  a  half  inches  wide,  silk 
to  match,  and  a  red  and  a  blue  pencil. 


Fig.  34.  —  Showing  how  to  mark  the  cloth,  diamonds  representing  red 
dots,  and  circles  blue  dots. 

Honey-combing.  —  i .  On  the  right  side  of  the  cloth,  and 
beginning  at  one  end,  mark  the  entire  length,  as  in  Fig. 
34,  placing  red  dots  in  the  place  of  diamonds,  and  blue 
dots  in  the  place  of  circles. 


Fig.  35.  —  Showing  honey-combing  begun,  needle  in  position 


HONEY-COMBING. 


45 


2.  Drawing  the  needle  through  from  underneath  at  a 
(Fig.  34),  take  up  a  few  threads  of  the  cloth  at  b  (Fig.  34), 
and  fasten  a  and  b  together  with  two  or  three  over  and 
over  stitches  (Fig.  35,  a). 

3.  Passing  the  needle  underneath,  bring  it  out  at  the 
next  red  dot  (Fig.  34,  c),  and  fasten  c  and  d  together. 


Fig.  36.  —  Showing  diamond  honey-combing, 

4.  Continue  to  the  end  of  the  row,  fastening  together 
the  red  dots  which  are  connected  in  Fig.  34. 

5.  Beginning    the    second    row    at    the    right,    fasten 
together,   in    a  similar    manner,    the    blue    dots   (circles, 
Fig.  34)- 


46  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

6.  Work  the  third  row  as  the  first,  and  the  fourth  row 
as  the  second,  and  so  continue  (Fig.  36). 

Suggestions,  —  In  honey-combing,  exactness  is  required 
in  marking  the  spaces.  Instead  of  colored  pencils,  the 
dots  may  be  marked  with  thread  or  chalk.  To  keep  the 
honey-combing  in  position,  the  outer  edges  should  be 
fastened  to  a  lining,  after  it  is  finished. 

What  is  honey-combing  ?  Where  is  exactness  required  in  honey-combing  ?  How 
is  honey-combing  kept  in  position  ^hen  finished  ? 


BINDINGS. 

A  binding  or  band  is  used  to  strengthen  and  cover  the 
raw  edges  of  a  seam. 

Binding.  No.  1.  —  Sewed  by  stitching  and  hemming. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  pins,  scissors, 
and  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  half-a-yard  long  and  seven 


Fig.  37.  —  Showing  the  corners  of  the  binding  cut,  and  the  middle 
of  the  edges  marked  by  notches  and  a  cross-stitch. 

inches  wide,  notched  in  the  middle,  gathered  and  stroked 
(page  36);  for  the  binding,  a  piece  of  cloth  eight  inches 
long  and  three  inches  wide. 


BINDINGS. 


47 


Preparations.  —  i .  Find  the  middle  of  the  band,  and 
mark  the  place  by  cutting  a  notch  (Fig.  37)  at  the  edge  of 
each  side,  or  by  taking  a  cross-stitch  (Fig.  37)  with 
colored  cotton. 

2.  Cut  off  each  corner  of  the  band  one-fourth  of  an 
inch  deep  (Fig.  37),  to  avoid  having  many  thicknesses  of 
cloth,  when  the  corners  are  turned. 

3.  Loosen  the  gathering  thread. 


Fig.  38.  —  Showing  half  of  the  gathers  basted  and  stitched. 

4.  Holding  the  wrong  side  of  the  gathered  piece  to- 
wards you,  place  the  middle  of  the  band  at  the  notch  in  the 
middle  of  the  gathers,  and  put  in  a  pin  vertically,  to  hold 
them  together  (Fig.  38). 

5.  Pin  the  ends  of  the  gathers  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
from  eacJi  end  of  the  band. 

6.  Tighten  or  loosen  the  gathering  thread,  so  that  the 
length  of  the  gathered  edge  exactly  matches  that  of  the 
band. 


48  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

7.  Fasten  the  gathering  thread  by  winding  it  around 
the  pin. 

8.  With  the  point  of  the  needle  adjust  the  gathers,  so 
that  the  fulness  is  evenly  distributed  along  the  band. 

9.  Holding  the  gathers  towards  you,  baste,  with  small 
stitches,  a  little  above  the  gathering  thread. 

Stitching, —  i.  Stitch  the  gathers  to  the  band,  exactly 
over  the  gathering  thread,  taking  up  only  one  gather  at  a 
time  (Fig.  38). 

2.  Take  out  the  pins,  as  you  come  to  them. 

3.  If,  when  sewing,  the  gathering  thread  should  be  too 
short,  loosen  it  by  unwinding  it  from  the  pin. 

4.  When   the  band   is  stitched  on,  fasten  the  thread 
securely,  cut  off  the  gathering  thread  and  take  out  the 
basting  thread. 

Hemming.  —  I .  Turn  up  the  band,  and  crease  the  oppo- 
site edge  and  the  two  ends,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  deep. 

2.  Cut    off    the    corners    of    the    gathers    above    the 
stitching. 

3.  Fold  the  band  over  to  the  line  of  stitching. 

4.  Pin  the  middle  of  the  folded  edge  to  the  middle  of 
the  line  of  stitching. 

5.  Pin   the   ends,  being  careful  to   have    che   corners 
exactly  together. 

6.  Baste  the  band  down,  keeping  the  edge  of  the  fold 
directly  over  the  stitching. 

7.  Overhand  each  end,  beginning  at  the  gathers. 

8.  Hem  the  band  down,  taking  a  stitch  in  each  gather, 
a  little  below  the  stitching.     Do  not  allow  the  stitches  to 
show  on  the  right  side. 

Suggestions.  —  A  binding  should  be  cut  lengthwise  of 
the  cloth,  when  strength  is  required,  or  where  much  wear 


BINDINGS. 


49 


is  coming,  as  on  underclothing.  A  narrow  binding  for 
finishing  a  garment  should  be  cut  on  the  bias.  The 
binding  and  gathering  should  be  equally  divided  by 
notches,  so  that  there  may  be  no  more  fulness  in  one 
part  than  in  another.  If  there  are  but  few  gathers,  half- 
backstitching  can  be  used  instead  of  stitching.  Great 
care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  ends  of  the  band  neat  ; 
some  prefer  to  turn  the  ends  of  the  band  under  before 
stitching,  others  stitch  the  ends  of  the  band  together, 
before  putting  it  on  to  the  gathers. 

Binding  No.  2.  —  Sewed  by  setting-in  the  gathers. 
Materials.  —  Same  as  for  Binding  No.  I . 


Fig.  39.  —  Showing  gathers  set  into  a  band. 

Preparations.  —  i .   Mark  the  middle  of  the  band  by  a 
cross-stitch,  and  cut  off  the  corners,  as  in  Fig.  37. 

2.  Crease  the  four  edges  of  the  band. 

3.  Baste    and    overhand    the    ends,  beginning   at    the 
corners. 

4.  Loosen  the  gathering  thread. 


5<D  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

5.  Hold  the  right  side  of  the  gathers  towards  you. 

6.  Pin  the  middle  of  one  edge  of  the  band  to  the  mid- 
dle of  the  gathers,  and  exactly  over  the  gathering  thread 

(Fig.  39>  &). 

7.  Pin  the  ends  of  the  gathers,  inside  the  ends  of  the 
band  (Fig.  39,  a  and  c). 

8.  Draw  up  or  loosen  the  gathering  thread,  so  that  it 
is  the  same  length  as  the  band,  and  fasten  around  the  pin. 

9.  Arrange  the  gathers  with  the  needle. 

10.  Baste  the  band  on,  so  that  the  gathering  thread  is 
covered. 

Setting-in  of  gathers.  —  i  •  Begin    as  for    hemming,  but 
make  the  stitch  vertical  on  the  side  towards  you. 

2.  Take   up,    close  below    the    gathering   thread,  one 
gather  and  then  a  thread  or  two  of  the  band  (Fig.  39). 

3.  Take  the  next  stitch  by  inserting  the  needle  into 
the    next    gather  (which    should    be    directly    under    the 
place  where  the  thread  comes  out  of  the  band)  and  at  the 
same  time  take  up  a  thread  of  the  band. 

4.  Take  a  stitch  in  each  gather. 

5.  When  this  side  is  finished,  fasten  securely,  and  cut 
off  the  gathering  thread. 

6.  Baste  and  sew  the  under  part  of  the  band  in  the 
same   manner,    taking  care   that    the   edge   of   the   band 
corresponds  exactly  with  the  edge  on  the  opposite  side, 
in  order  that  the  band  may  not  be  twisted. 

7.  Do  not  let  these  stitches  show  on  the  right  side. 
Suggestions. — The  shape  of  the  stitch  is  like  the  letter 

N,  as  in  overhanding,  but  the  slant  here  is  underneath, 
while  in  overhanding  it  is  on  the  top.  A  binding  is 
more  easily  sewed  on  in  this  manner,  if  there  is  a  double 
row  of  gathering.  To  strengthen  a  binding,  where  a 


BINDINGS.  5  I 

button  is  to  be  placed,  turn  in  one  inch  at  the  end  of  the 
band  before  folding  it,  and  baste  pieces  of  cloth  on  the 
under  side  where  other  buttons  are  to  be  placed  ;  at  the 
button-hole  end,  turn  in  half-an-inch.  Cut  a  button-hole 
in  a  binding  nearer  the  gathers  than  the  folded  edge,  so 
that  the  garment  will  be  held  in  place  firmly. 

Binding  No.  3.  —  Sewed  by  overhanding. 

Materials.  —  Same  as  for  Binding  No.  i,  with  the  larger 
piece  of  cloth  gathered  for  overhanding  to  a  binding 
(page  4 1). 


I:':  In  {    ! 

Fig.  40.  —  Showing  gathers  overhanded,  with  needle  in  position 

Preparations.  —  i .   Mark  the  middle  of  the  band  by  a 
cross-stitch,  and  cut  off  the  corners,  as  in  Fig.  37. 

2.  Crease  the  four  edges  of  the  band. 

3.  Double    each    end,  and    beginning  at  the   corners, 
overhand  both  ends. 

4.  Baste  the  lengthwise  edges  together. 


52  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

5.  Pin  the  middle  of  the  band  at  the  middle  of    the 
right  side  of  the  gathers. 

6.  Pin  the  ends  of  the  gathers  and  band  together. 

7.  Draw  up  or  loosen  the  gathering  thread,  until  it  is 
of  the  same  length  as  the  band,  and  fasten  around  the 
pin. 

8.  Arrange  the  gathers  with  the  needle,  and    put  in 
pins  vertically  every  two  inches. 

Overhanding.  —  I .  Holding  the  band  towards  you,  over- 
hand the  gathers  to  the  band  placing  a  stitch  in  each 
gather. 

2.  Take  out  the  pins,  as  you  come  to  them. 

3.  Fasten  the  gathering  thread. 

For  what  is  a  binding  used?  In  what  three  ways  can  a  binding  be  sewed  on? 
How  can  the  middle  of  th£  band  be  marked  ?  What  should  be  done  to  the  corners 
of  the  band  ?  Why  ?  Where  should  the  gathered  piece  and  band  be  pinned  together  ? 
What  should  be  done  to  the  gathering  thread  ?  How  is  it  fastened  ?  How  should  the 
gathers  be  adjusted  ?  How  basted  ?  Where  and  how  should  the  gathers  be  stitched  ? 
How  is  the  band  prepared  for  hemming  ?  Where  should  the  band  be  pinned  ?  How  is 
the  band  basted  ?  What  should  be  done  at  each  end  ?  Where  should  the  hemming 
stitches  be  taken  ?  When  is  a  binding  cut  lengthwise  ?  What  should  be  done  to  the 
ends  of  a  band  before  setting-in  the  gathers  ?  How  should  the  band  be  basted  to  the 
gathers  ?  What  letter  should  the  stitch  resemble  ?  How  can  a  band  be  strengthened, 
where  buttons  are  to  be  placed  ? 


FACINGS    OR    FALSE    HEMS. 

A  facing  is  a  fold  applied  to  the  edge  of  a  garment  for 
protection  and  finish,  and  has  the  appearance  of  a  hem. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  and  No.  9  needles,  No.  50  and  No. 
70  thread,  pins,  and  two  pieces  of  cotton  cloth,  one  piece 
six  inches  long  and  four  inches  wide,  the  other  piece,  for 
the  facing,  six  inches  long  and  two  inches  wide. 


BUTTON-HOLES.  53 

Facing.  —  i .  Place  the  facing  lengthwise  on  the  piece 
of  cloth,  and  pin  the  ends  together. 

2.  Baste  them  together  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  the 
edge. 

3.  Half-backstitch  under  the  basting. 

4.  Take  out  the  basting  thread. 

5.  Fold  the  wrong  sides  together,  and  crease  the  cloth 
one  or  two  threads  beyond  the  seam,  that  the  seam  may 
not  show  on  the  edge. 

6.  Crease  the  opposite  edge  of  the  facing  one-fourth  of 
an  inch  deep. 

7.  Pin  the  ends  of  the  cloth  and  facing  evenly  together. 

8.  Baste  and  hem. 

Suggestions.  —  A  facing  which  requires  strength  should 
be  cut  lengthwise.  A  narrow  facing  for  a  rounded  edge, 
as  the  neck  of  a  garment,  should  be  cut  on  the  bias,  so 
that  it  may  be  stretched  when  being  hemmed.  A  false  hem 
can  be  used,  when  the  material  is  not  long  enough  to  allow 
a  hem. 

What  is  a  facing  ?  What  is  its  use  ?  How  should  it  first  be  sewed  ?  How  next  ? 
When  can  a  false  hem  be  used  ? 


BUTTON-HOLES. 

A  button-hole  is  a  slit  cut  and  worked  in  a  garment  to 
admit  a  button. 

BUTTON-HOLE  STITCH  FOR  BEGINNERS. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  40  colored  thread,  and  a 
folded  and  basted  strip  of  cotton  cloth. 

Button-hole  stitch.  —  I .  Make  a  small  knot  in  the  thread. 


54  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

2.  Place  the  folded  edge  of  the  cloth  across  the  cushion 
of  the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand,  allowing  the  tip  of  the 
finger  to  show. 

3.  Hold  the  cloth  firmly,  keeping  the  end  of  the  thumb 
near  the  folded  edge. 

4.  Work  from  you,  instead  of  towards  you. 

5.  Draw  the  needle  through  from  underneath,  close  to 
the  folded  edge  of  the  cloth,  which  will  bring  the  thread 
into  position  for  the  stitch. 

6.  Again  insert  the  needle  one-eighth  of  an  inch  from 
the  edge,  and  exactly  back  of  its  first  position. 


Fig.  4| .  —  Showing  the  work  in  position,  and  button-hole  stitches. 

7.  Let  the  needle  remain  half-way  through  the  cloth, 
and  pointing  towards  you. 

8.  Take  the  two  threads  at  the  eye  of  the  needle,  bring 
them  towards  you  at  the  right  of  the  needle,  then  under 
the  point  of  the  needle  and  from  you  (Fig.  44). 

9.  Pull  the  needle  out,  drawing  the  thread  so  that  the 
twist  or  purl  comes  at  the  top  of  the  folded  edge  of  the 
cloth  (Fig.  41). 

10.  One-eighth  of  an  inch  beyond  take  another  stitch 
in  the  same  manner. 


BUTTON-HOLES.  5  5 

11.  So  continue,  making  the  stitches  even. 

12.  When  the  thread  becomes  too  short  to  use,  turn  to 
the  other  side  of  the  cloth,  and  fasten  lightly  at  the  side 
of  the  last  stitch,  and  away  from  the  purl.     After  thread- 
ing the  needle,  insert  it  beside  of  the  last  stitch,  drawing 
it  towards  the  purl.     Turn  to  the  right  side,  and  draw  the 
needle  up  through  the  last  purl,  and  proceed  with  the 
button-hole  stitch. 

What  is  the  first  thing  to  be  done  ?  Where  should  the  folded  edge  of  the  cloth  be 
placed  ?  What  part  of  the  forefinger  shows  ?  How  should  the  cloth  be  held  ?  In 
which  direction  do  you  work?  Where  is  the  first  stitch  taken ?  Why?  How  far 
from  the  edge  is  the  needle  next  inserted?  How  far  through  the  cloth  should  the 
needle  be  brought?  How  should  it  point?  What  is  done  with  the  two  threads? 
\Vhen  the  thread  is  drawn  out,  where  should  the  twist  or  purl  come  ?  How  much 
should  be  left  between  the  stitches  ? 


V 


BUTTON-HOLES. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  40  colored  thread,  button- 
hole scissors,  a  medium-sized  button,  and  a  folded  and 
basted  strip  of  cotton  cloth. 


Fig.  42.  —  Showing  the  work  in  position. 

The  instructions  are  given  in  the  following  order  : 

1.  Cutting.  4.    Button-hole  stitch. 

2.  Barring.  5.    Finishing. 

3.  Overcasting.  6.    Joining  the  thread. 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Cutting.  —  Cut  the  slit  by  a  thread  of  the  cloth,  one- 
fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  folded  edge,  and  a  little  longer 
than  the  diameter  of  the  button. 

Barring.  —  i .   Make  a  small  knot  in  the  thread. 

2.  With  the  folded  edge  from  you,  place  the  slit  across 
the  cushion  of  the  left  forefinger  (Fig.  42). 

3.  Hold  the  slit  firmly  between  the  thumb  and  fore- 
finger, and  slanting  as  in  Fig.  42. 

4.  Work  from  you,  beginning  at  tJie  end  fartJicst  from 
the  folded  edge  of  the  cloth. 


Fig.  43. — A,  showing  the  barring  of  a  button-hole;  B,  showing  the 
overcasting  of  a  button-hole;  C,  showing  a  finished  button-hole; 
D,  showing  a  button-hole  on  heavy  cloth. 

5.  Draw  the  needle  through  from  underneath,  at  the 
left  of  the  slit,  and  three  or  four  threads  from  the  raw 
edge,  a  (Fig.  43,  A}. 

6.  Turn  the  cloth,  so  that  the  folded  edge  is  towards 
you. 

7.  Insert  the  needle  at  b  (Fig.  43,  A),  and  bring  it  out 
at  c,  taking  up  three  or  four  threads  of  the  cloth  at  each 
side  of  the  slit. 

8.  Again  insert  the  needle  at  b,  and  bring  it  out  at  c. 
This  makes  a  side  and  end  barring. 


BUTTON-HOLES. 


57 


9.  Turn  the  cloth,  and  bar  the  other  side  and  end  in 
the  same  manner,  i.e.,  inserting  the  needle  at  d,  bring  it 
out  at  a,  and  repeat.  This  brings  the  needle  to  the  start- 
ing point. 

Overcasting. —  i.  Hold  the  barring  tightly  near  the 
edge  of  the  slit. 

2.  Taking  up  three  or  four  threads  of  the  cloth,  over- 
cast one  side,  making  the  stitches  over  the  barring  and 


Fig.  44.  —  Showing  button-hole  stitches,      Fig.  45.  —  Showing  a  finished 
enlarged,  needle  and  thread  in  posi-  button-hole,  enlarged, 

tion.     The  straight    lines   represent 
the  threads  of  the  cloth. 

one-eighth  of  an  inch  apart.  Bring  the  needle  at  the  last 
stitch  into  the  corner,  where  the  side  and  end  barring 
meet,  b  (Fig.  43,  B). 

3.  Turn  the  cloth,  and  take  one  overcasting  stitch  in 
the  opposite  corner,  c  (Fig.  43,  B). 

4.  Overcast  the  remaining  side  and  end  in  the  same 


58  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

manner,  which  will  again  bring  the  needle  to  the  starting 
point. 

Button-hole  stitch  or  purl,  —  i .  Draw  the  needle  half- 
way through  at  the  left  side,  and  one  thread  beyond, 
taking  up  about  four  threads  of  the  cloth. 

2.  With  the  needle  pointing  towards  you,  take  the  two 
threads  at  the. eye  of  the  needle,  and  bring  them  towards 
you  at  the  right  of  the  needle,  then  under  the  point  of 
the  needle  and  from  you  (Fig.  44). 

3.  Draw  the  needle  and  thread  out,  at  right  angles  to 
the  slit,  and  so  that  the  twist  or  purl  comes  at  the  top  edge 
of  the  slit  (Fig.  44).      In  making  the  purl,  the  thread  will 
form  the  figure  eight  (8). 

4.  Continue  in  this  manner,  leaving  a  thread  of   the 
cloth  between  each  stitch,  and  make  the  stitches  even. 

5.  Take  seven  or  eight  stitches  across  the  outer  end 
(Fig.  45),  drawing  the  purl  towards  the  folded  edge,  and 
making  either  a  square  or  round  end.     The  greatest  wear 
from  the  button  comes  here. 

6.  Holding  the  folded  edge  of  the  cloth  towards  you, 
work  the  second  side  until  close  to  the  end  barring. 

If,  in  taking  the  button-hole  stitch,  you  fail  to  put  the 
thread  around  the  needle,  the  stitch  can  be  picked 
up,  by  leaving  a  small  loop,  and,  with  the  thread  be- 
yond it,  passing  the  needle  from  underneath  through 
the  loop. 

Finishing,  —  i .  Without  turning  the  cloth,  draw  the 
needle  down  through  the  first  button-hole  stitch  taken, 
bringing  it  up  on  the  opposite  side,  where  the  side  and 
end  barring  meet. 

2.  Draw  this  stitch  so  tightly  as  to  bring  the  sides 
close  together. 


BUTTON-HOLES.  59 

3.  Make  a  barring  exactly  over  the  one  already  there, 
which  will  leave  the  thread  at  the  left  side. 

4.  Holding  the  thread  under  the  left  thumb,  draw  the 
needle  under  the  two  end  barrings  and  over  the  thread, 
which  will  form  the  loop  stitch. 

5.  Take  another  loop  stitch  in  the  middle  of  the  bar-* 
ring  and  one  in  the  right  hand  corner. 

6.  Draw  the  needle  down  through  the  cloth  close  to  the 
purl  of  the  last  loop  stitch,  and  fasten  on  the  wrong  side. 

Joining  the  thread.  —  I .  If  the  thread  should  prove  too 
short,  put  the  needle  through  "the  slit,  and  turn  to  the 
other  side  of  the  cloth. 

2.  Fasten  lightly  beside  the  las't  stitch. 

3.  After  threading  the  needle,  insert  it  beside  the  last 
stitch,  drawing  it  towards  the  purl. 

4.  Turning  the  right  side  towards  you,  draw  the  needle 
up  through  the  last  purl,   and  proceed  with  the  button- 
hole stitch. 

Suggestions.  —  On  materials  that  ravel,  make  two  par- 
allel rows  of  stitching,  and  cut  between  the  rows  ;  or  the 
place  may  be  dampened  with  glue  and  cut  when  dry.  It 
is  important  to  remember  when  making  a  button-hole,  to 
work  from  you  and  begin  at  the  end  farthest  from  the 
edge.  Try  to  keep  the  slit  straight  and  not  to  press  it 
out  of  shape.  Some  hold  the  slit  horizontally  on  the 
forefinger.  The  distance  that  the  button-hole  is  cut  from 
the  edge,  depends  upon  the  garment.  The  side  of  the 
garment  in  which  the  button-hole  is  made,  is  a  matter  of 
choice,  but  it  is  wise  to  decide  upon  one  side  and  adhere 
to  it.  In  woollen  goods  a  triangle  of  a  few  threads  of  the 
cloth  can  be  cut  out  of  the  end  nearest  the  edge,  or  the 
end  can  be  rounded. 


6O  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

The  barring  strengthens  the  button-hole  and  keeps  it 
in  place.  If  a  great  strain  comes  on  the  button-hole,  put 
a  double  barring  around. 

Some  prefer  to  overcast  before  barring,  but  the  over- 
casting stitches  are  helpful  in  keeping  the  barring  in 
place.  When  the  overcasting  is  done  first,  take  the  over- 
casting stitches  on  the  under  or  wrong  side,  thus  securing 
the  under  edge,  which  is  very  apt  to  pull  away  in  working. 
A  material,  that  does  not  ravel,  need  not  be  overcast. 

A  button-hole  can  be  finished  by  taking  button-hole 
stitches  in  the  loop,  or  orf  heavy  goods  by  sewing  closely 
over  and  over  the  barring.  In  a  button-hole,  where  a 
strain  comes  on  the  sides,  as  in  the  front  of  a  shirt,  work 
both  ends  as  in  finishing  an  ordinary  button-hole. 

Always  try  to  have  the  thread  long  enough  to  finish 
working  the  button-hole.  For  a  very  large  button-hole, 
take  a  new  piece  of  thread,  when  beginning  on  the  button- 
hole stitch.  On  woollen  cloth,  button-hole  twist  should 
be  used.  On  heavy  goods,  a  cord  is  used  instead  of 
barring. 

What  is  a  button-hole  ?  What  is  its  use  ?  Give  the  order  in  which  the  instruc- 
tions for  button-hole  making  are  given. 

CUTTING. —  How  should  the  slit  be  cut  ? 

BARRING.  —  Where  should  the  slit  be  placed  and  how  held  ?  In  which  direction 
do  you  work  ?  At  which  end  do  you  begin  ?  Where  is  the  needle  inserted  ?  What 
should  be  done  next  ?  What  stitch  is  taken  by  following  the  directions  for  the  end 
barring  ?  How  is  the  other  side  and  end  barred  ?  Where  will  this  bring  the  needle  ? 

OVERCASTING. —  How  should  the  barring  be  held?  How  is  the  first  side  over- 
cast ?  How  is  the  end  overcast  ?  How  is  the  needle  brought  to  the  starting  point  ? 

BUTTON-HOLE  STITCH.  —  Where  and  how  should  the  needle  be  inserted  ?  How 
many  threads  of  the  cloth  are  taken  up  ?  In  what  direction  should  the  needle  point  ? 
What  is  now  done  with  the  two  threads  ?  How  are  the  needle  and  thread  draw* 
out  ?  Where  should  the  twist  or  purl  come  ?  What  figure  is  formed  by  the  thread, 
in  making  the  purl?  How  many  threads  of  the  cloth  should  be  left  between  the 
stitches  ?  How  should  the  outer  end  be  worked  ?  Where  does  the  greatest  wear 
come?  How  should  the  cloth  be  held  in  working  the  second  side?  How  can  a 
button-hole  stitch  be  picked  up  ? 

FINISHING.  —  What  is  done  with  the  needle  ?     How  should  this  stitch  be  drawn  ? 


BUTTONS. 


61 


Where  is  the  second  barring  made?  How  is  the  loop  stitch  formed?  Where  are 
the  other  loop  stitches  taken  ?  Where  should  the  needle  be  drawn,  to  fasten  the 
thread  ? 

JOINING  THE  THREAD. —  What  is  done  if  the  thread  proves  too  short?  After 
threading  the  needle,  where  should  it  be  inserted  ?  Where  is  it  next  brought  ? 

Why  is  barring  used  ?  Is  a  material,  that  does  not  ravel,  overcast  ?  How  long  a 
thread  should  be  taken  ? 


BUTTONS. 

A  button  is  a  catch  of  metal  or  other  substance,  by 
which  a  garment  is  fastened. 

Materials.  —  No.  7  and  No.  8  needles,  No.  36  and  No.  50 
thread,  a  pin,  a  four-holed  button,  and  a  folded  and  basted 
piece  of  cotton  cloth. 


Fig.  46. — a,  Showing  the  sewingof  a  two-holed  button,  pin  in  position  ; 

b,  showing   the    sewing  of    a   four-holed    button,    pin    in    position  ; 

c,  showing  the  sewing  of  a  boot-button. 

Buttons.  —  i .  Make  a  pin-hole,  where  the  button  is  to  be 
placed. 

2.  Stitch  with  the  fine  needle  and  thread  a  very  small 
circle  around  the  pin-hole,  or  a  cross  at  the  pin-hole,  to 
keep  both  sides  of  the  cloth  in  place. 


,3- 
4- 


Having  the  coarse  thread  double,  make  a  knot. 
Draw  the  needle  through  the  pin-hole  from  the  upper 
side,  to  conceal  the  knot  under  the  button. 

5.  Bring  the  needle  partly  through,  close  to  the  knot.  ' 

6.  Place  the  button  on  the  needle,  and  draw  the  needle 
and  thread  through. 


62  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

7.  Place  the  pin  across  the  top  of  the  button  (Fig.  46, 
b),  to  lengthen  the   stitches  ;    and   take  the   first    stitch 
across  the  button,  at  right  angles  with  the  edge  of  the 
cloth. 

8.  Sew  securely  through  and  through  the  holes,  making 
a  cross  on  the  button,  and  two  parallel  lines  on  the  wrong 
side  of  the  cloth. 

9.  Remove  the  pin,  which  will  loosen  the  stitches. 

10.  Inserting  the  needle  from  underneath,  bring  it  out 
between  the  button  and  cloth,  close  to  the  centre  of  the 
button. 

1 1 .  Wind  the  thread  tightly  around  the  stitches  three 
or  four  times,  to  form  a  neck  for  the  button  ;  thus  allow- 
ing room  for  the  thickness  of  the  button-hole. 

12.  Fasten  the  thread  on  the  under  side  of  the  cloth. 
Suggestions.  —  In   sewing  on   a  two-holed   button,  the 

stitches  should  be  taken  at  right  angles  with  the  edge  of 
the  cloth  (Fig.  46,  a),  to  avoid  stretching  the  end  of  the 
button-hole.  A  button  with  a  loop,  as  a  boot-button, 
should  be  sewed  with  the  stitches  taken  parallel  with  the 
edge  (Fig.  46,  c) ;  this  will  bring  the  wear  on  the  loop  of 
the  button. 

The  button-holes  should  be  made  first.  To  mark  the 
places  for  the  buttons,  lay  the  right  sides  of  the  garment 
together,  and  put  pins  through  the  outer  ends  of  the 
button-holes  ;  taking  great  care  to  have  the  pins  exactly 
opposite  the  button-holes. 

What  is  a  button  ?  What  is  its  use  ?  How  should  the  place  for  a  button  be  pre- 
pared ?  What  kind  of  thread  should  be  used  ?  How  should  the  needle  be  inserted  ? 
Why  ?  What  is  placed  across  the  top  of  the  button  ?  How  is  the  button  sewed  on  ? 
How  is  the  neck  of  the  button  formed  ?  Why  ?  How  should  the  stitches  be  taken  in 
sewing  on  a  two-holed  button  ?  How  on  a  button  with  a  loop  ?  How  are  the  places 
for  the  buttons  marked  on  a  garment  ? 


EYELET-HOLES. 


EYELET-HOLES. 

An  eyelet  is  a  hole  made  and  worked  in  a  garment,  to 
receive  a  small  cord  or  the  loop  of  a  button. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  40  thread,  a  stiletto,  and 
a  piece  of  cloth  folded  and  basted. 

Eyelet-holes.  --  i.  Pierce  the 
cloth  with  the  stiletto,  breaking 
as  few  threads  as  possible. 

2.  Holding     the     hole    tightly 
over  the  cushion  of  the  left  fore- 
finger,   work     it     over    and    over 
with    very    close,     even     stitches 
(Fig.  47,  a). 

3.  When    working    on    a    line 
with  the  threads  of  the  cloth,  use 
great   care    to    take    the    stitches 
close  and  deep  enough. 

4.  Use  the  stiletto  occasionally 
to  keep  the  hole  round. 

Suggestions.  — To  make  a  large  Fig.  47.-*,  Showing  a  small 

eyelet-hole,    mark    the    circle    by 

twice    running    a    thread    around 

the  desired  size  (Fig.  47,  b)\  then 

carefully  cut  out  the  centre,  turn 

the  edge  of  the  material  under,  and  work  the  edge  over 

and  over  or  with  button-hole  stitches  (Fig.  47,  c). 

On  woollen  materials,  use  silk  or  twist.     An  eyelet-hole 
can  be  worked  with  the  button-hole  stitch. 


eyelet-hole  ;  b,  showing  a 
large  eyelet-hole,  marked 
by  running  stitches ;  c, 
showing  a  large  eyelet- 
hole  finished. 


\Yhat  is  an  eyelet-hole  ?     What  is  its  use  ?     With  what  do  we  make  an  eyelet-hole  ? 
How  should  the  eyelet-hole  be  held  and  worked  ?     Where  should  care  be  taken  ? 


64 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


HOOKS    AND    EYES. 

A  hook  is  a  hard  material,  bent  for  holding  or  fasten- 
ing. An  eye  is  a  small  round  catch  to  receive  the  hook. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  40  thread,  a  medium- 
sized  hook  and  eye,  and  two  folded  and  basted  pieces  of 
cotton  cloth. 


Fig.  48.  —  Showing  a  hook  and  eye  sewed  on. 

Eyes.  —  i.   Make  a  knot  in  the  thread. 

2.  Place  the  loop  of  the  eye  a  little  beyond  the  folded 
edge  of  one  of  the  pieces  of  cloth. 

3.  Hold  the  loop  firmly  between  the  left  thumb  and 
forefinger. 

4.  Beginning  at  the  further  side,  overhand  closely  the 
two  circles  of  the  eye  (Fig.  48),  being  careful  not  to  let 
the  stitches  show  on  the  right  side. 

5.  Take  three  stitches  over  each  other  at  each  side  of 
the  eye,  near  the  edge  of  the  cloth  (Fig.  48,  a). 

6.  Fasten  very  securely. 

Hooks.  —  i .  Taking  the  other  piece  of  cloth,  lap  the 
two  pieces  as  desired. 

2.  Put  the  hook  into  the  eye  already  sewed  on,  and 
place  it  in  position. 


LOOPS.  65 

3.  Holding  the  hook  firmly  between   the  left    thumb 
and  forefinger,  unfasten  it. 

4.  Begin  at  the  further  side,  and  overhand  closely  the 
two  circles  (Fig.  48),  being  careful  not  to  let  the  stitches 
show  on  the  right  side. 

5.  Overhand  the  under  part  of  the  hook,  as  far  as  the 
bend. 

6.  Fasten,  by  taking  three  or  four  stitches  in  the  same 
place,  at  one  side  of  the  hook  ;  then  run  the  needle  to  the 
opposite  side,   and  again  fasten.     A  great  strain  comes 
here,  and  it  is  necessary  to  fasten  securely. 

Suggestions.  —  If  the  eye  is  on  a  garment,  where  it  is 
liable  to  show,  cover  it  with  button-hole  or  loop  stitches. 
When  sewing  on  hooks  and  eyes,  use  a  strong  thread  or 
twist,  and  as  fine  a  needle  as  possible. 

What  is  a  hook  ?  What  is  an  eye  ?  Where  is  the  eye  placed  ?  How  is  it  sewed 
on?  How  should  the  thread  be  fastened?  What  is  done  to  the  two  pieces  of  cloth 
before  sewing  on  the  hook  ?  Where  is  the  hook  placed  before  it  is  put  in  position  ? 
How  is  it  sewed  on  ?  How  is  the  thread  fastened  ? 


LOOPS. 

A  loop  is  a  catch  made  in  a  garment,  to  take  the  place 
of  an  eye. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  40  thread,  and  a  folded 
and  basted  piece  of  cotton  cloth. 

Loops.  —  i.   Make  a  knot  in  the  thread. 

2.  Holding  the  folded  edge  of  the  cloth  towards  you, 
work  from  left  to  rigJit. 

3.  Half-an-inch   from   the   folded   edge   take   three    or 
four  stitches  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  length,  and  over  each 
other  (Fig.  49,  a). 


66 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


4.  Holding  the  thread  down  with  the  left  thumb,  insert 
the  needle  under  the  backstitches,  and  over  the  thread 

(Fig.  49,  a)\  being  careful  not  to 
take  up  any  threads  of  the  cloth. 

5.  Draw  the  needle  and  thread 
towards  you,  so  that  the  purl  may 
come  at  the  side  of  the  loop  to- 
wards you. 

6.  Fill  the  loop  full  of  stitches 
drawn  closely  together. 

7.  At  the  right-hand  end,  draw 
the     needle     down     through    the 
cloth,  close  to  the  purl  of  the  last 
stitch. 

8.  With  a  few  stitches,  overhand  the  underneath  stitch- 
ing, and  fasten  securely. 

Suggestions.  —  In  making  a  loop  on  a  garment,  the  back- 
stitches should  be  taken  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  beyond 
where  the  loop  comes,  when  the  garment  is  fastened. 
Button-hole  stitches  can  be  used  instead  of  loop-stitches. 

What  is  a  loop  ?  What  is  its  use  ?  In  which  direction  do  you  work  in  making  a 
loop  ?  Where  and  how  are  the  first  stitches  taken  ?  How  is  the  needle  inserted  ? 
How  is  the  needle  drawn  through  ?  How  many  stitches  should  be  tak  :n  in  the  loop  ? 
What  is  done  to  the  underneath  stitches  ? 


Fig.  49.  —  a,  Showing  the 
needle  in  position  ;  b, 
showing  a  finished  loop; 
c,  showing  a  finished 
loop,  enlarged. 


GUSSETS. 

A  gusset  is  an  angular  piece  of  cloth,  inserted  in  a  gar- 
ment, to  strengthen  and  enlarge  an  opening. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  pins,  scissors, 
and  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  five  inches  square,  hemmed 


GUSSETS.  67 

on  three  sides  ;  for  the  gusset  a  quarter  of  a  four-inch 
circle  of  cloth. 

Gussets.  —  i .  Find  the 
middle  of  the  side  of  the 
cloth  not  hemmed,  and 
cut  two  inches  and  a  half, 
by  a  thread. 

2.  Make  a  hem  on  each 

.         .  -11  Fig.  50.  —  Showing  the  gusset 

side,  having  it  one-eighth  fo|ded  over_ 

of  an   inch   wide   at   the 

top,  and  turned  to  a  point  at  the  bottom. 

3.  Find  the  middle  of  the  rounded  side  of  the  gusset, 
and  crease  to  the  opposite  corner. 

4.  Baste  with  even  stitches  along  the  crease. 

5.  On  all  the  sides,  fold  and  crease  one-fourth  of  an 
inch. 

6.  Cut  off  all  unnecessary  thicknesses  of  cloth  in  the 
folds,  and  baste  the  folds  down. 

7.  On  each  side,  five-eighths  of  an  inch  from  point  a 
(Fig.  50),  make  a  pin-hole  ;  then  fold  and  crease  from  pin- 
hole  to  pin-hole  (Fig.  50,  b  to  b). 

Setting -in  the  gusset. —  I.  With  a  small  knot  in  the 
thread,  draw  the  needle  through  from  the  wrong  side  of 
the  gusset,  at  point  a  (Fig.  50). 

2.  Holding  the  wrong  side  of  the  cloth  towards  you,  in- 
sert the  needle  from  the  right  side,  two  or  three  threads 
from  the  end  of  the  opening. 

3.  Holding    the    right    sides    together,    overhand    the 
gusset    to    the    cloth,   as    far    as    the  crease    or    point    b 
(Fig.  50)  ;  fasten  securely. 

4.  Overhand  the  other  side  in  the  same  manner,  begin- 
ning at  point  a. 


68 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


5.  Fold  the  gusset  over  on  the  crease. 

6.  Pin  the  end  of  the  middle  line  of  basting  to  the  cloth 
a  little  below  the  opening  (Fig.  51). 


inn 


Fig.  51.  —  Showing  the  middle  of  the 
gusset  pinned,  and  the  finished 
gusset  on  the  wrong  side, 


Fig.  52. —  Showing  th< 
finished  gusset  or 
the  right  side. 


7.  Baste  and  hem  the  gusset  to  the  cloth. 

8.  Make  a  row  of  stitching  at  the  fold  of  the  gusset,  tc 
strengthen  it  (Fig.  51). 


Fig.  53.  —  Showing  other  ways  of  cutting  a  gusset. 

Suggestions.  —  The  gusset  can  be  made  as  large  or  small 
as  desired  ;  it  can  also  be  cut  in  different  shapes  (Fig.  53). 
An  easy  method  of  inserting  a  gusset  is  to  cut  a  small 
square  of  cloth  ;  fold  and  crease  the  edges  ;  placing  a 
corner  at  the  end  of  the  opening,  overhand  two  sides  ;  fold 


GUSSETS. 


69 


on  the  bias  and  hem  the  remaining  sides  over  the  over- 
handing  stitches. 

Gusset  and  facing.  —  I ..  Make  a  paper  pattern  the  desired 
size,  having  the  gusset  in  the  proportions  of  Fig.  54. 

2.  Fold  the  pattern  at  the  dotted  lines  (Fig.  54),  and 
place  this  edge  on  an  exact  bias  fold  of  the  cloth,  which 
will  bring  the  edge  of  the  gusset  on  a  line  with  a  thread 
of  the  cloth. 


Fig.  54.  —  Showing  the  shape  of  a  gusset  and  facing  combined. 

3.  Cut  the  cloth  by  the  pattern,  and  then  cut  in  one- 
fourth  of  an  inch  to  a  (Fig.  54). 

4.  Make  a  narrow  fold  on  the  inner  edges  of  the  facing, 
and  on  the  sides  of  the  gusset  make  a  fold  turned  to  a 
point  at  a. 

5.  Fold  the  edges  of  the  opening  in  the  garment. 

6.  With  the  wrong  sides  together,  overhand  the  gusset, 
and  then  the  inner  edges  of  the  facing,  to  the  opening  in 
the  garment. 

7.  Hem  the  opposite  edges. 

What  is  a  gusset  ?  What  is  its  use  ?  How  should  the  hem  in  the  opening  be 
made  ?  In  setting-in  a  gusset,  how  is  the  point  brought  to  the  opening  ?  What  kind 
of  stitches  are  then  taken  ?  What  kind  of  stitches  are  used  after  folding  the  gusset  ? 


7O  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


PLACKET. 

A  placket  is  an  opening  made  in  a  garment. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  and  a  piece 
of  cotton  cloth  five  inches  square,  hemmed  on  three 
sides. 

Placket.  —  I .  At  the  middle  of  the  side  not  hemmed, 
cut  three  inches  by  a  thread. 

2.  Hold  the  wrong  side  of  the  cloth  towards  you. 

3.  At  the  left  of  the  opening,  make  a  hem  turned  to  a 
point  at  the  bottom,  and  one-eighth  of  an  inch  wide  at  the 
top. 

4.  At  the  right,  make  a  hem  three-fourths  of  an  inch 
wide  the  entire  length. 

5.  Turn  to  the  right  side  of  the  cloth. 

6.  At  the  bottom  of  the  wide  hem  make  a  horizontal 
crease  by  a  thread. 

7.  On  the  right  side  of  the  opening,  make  a  vertical 
crease   by  a   thread,   three-fourths   of   an   inch   from   the 
edge. 

8.  Place  the  edge  of  the  wide  hem  on  this  crease. 

9.  Holding     the     hem     carefully,     baste    with     small 
stitches,  on  the  horizontal  crease. 

10.  Make  two  rows  of  stitching,  one  a  little  below,  and 
one  a  little  above  the  basting. 

What  is  a  placket  ?  When  the  wrong  side  is  towards  you,  how  wide  a  hem  is  made 
at  the  left?  How  wide  at  the  right?  How  many  rows  of  stitching  are  taken  in 
tacking  the  hem  ? 


TUCKING.  71 

TUCKING. 

A  tuck  is  a  fold  made  and  sewed  in  a  garment  for 
ornament,  or  that  the  garment  may  be  lengthened  when 
necessary. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  and  No.  9  needles,  No.  50  and 
No.  90  thread,  a  sharp-pointed  lead-pencil,  and  a  piece  of 
cotton  cloth  six  inches  square,  having  at  one  side  an  inch 
hem  sewed  exactly  on  a  thread  ;  for  a  measure,  a  stiff, 
smooth  piece  of  paper  or  cardboard  three  inches  long 
and  half-an-inch  wide. 


Fig.  55.  —  Measure  for  marking  the  tucks. 

Tucking.  —  i .   Put    the   right-hand  end  of  the  strip  of 
paper    exactly    to    the    right-hand    end    of    the    measure 

(Fig-  55)- 

2.  One-eighth  of  an  inch  below  the  edge  of  the  paper, 
with   the    lead-pencil,   make  dots    corresponding  to  each 
line  of  the  measure. 

3.  Hold  the  wrong  side  of  the  cloth  towards  you. 

4.  Half-an-inch  from  the  right-hand  edge  of  the  cloth 
lay  the  paper  on,  with  the  end  marked  a  (Fig.  55)  exactly 
at  the  sewing  of  the  hem. 

5.  Holding  the  paper  and  cloth    even,   put    the  large 
needle  through  each  dot. 

6.  Move  the  paper  two  inches  to  the  left,  and  prick. 

7.  Again  move  the  paper  two  inches  to  the  left,  and 
prick. 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


8.  Turn  to  the  right  side,  and,  holding  the  hem  towards 
you,    crease  by  a  thread    at   the  first  horizontal   line  of 
dots. 

9.  Holding  the  crease  to  the  light  of  the  window,  see 
if  it  is  exactly  by  a  thread. 

10.  Make  a  crease,  by  a  thread,  at  the  second,   third 
and  fourth  lines  of  dots. 

1 1 .  Fold  the  cloth  down  at  the  second  crease. 


Fig.  56.  —  Showing  the  tucks  basted. 

12.  Baste    exactly    by    a    thread    on    the    first    crease 
(Fig.  56). 

13.  Fold  the  cloth  at  the  fourth  crease,  and  baste  on 
the  third  crease. 

14.  With  the  fine  needle  and  thread,   run  each   tuck 
close  to  the  basting,   taking  up  as  little  of  the  cloth  as 
possible,  and  passing  over  twice  as  much. 

Suggestions.  —  Tucks  are  sometimes  made  lengthwise 
of  the  cloth,  and  sometimes  across  the  cloth.  The  width 
and  distance  apart  are  a  matter  of  choice. 


PLAITING.  73 

The  chief  difficulty  is  in  measuring  and  folding  them  ; 
when  it  is  decided  at  what  distance  apart  and  what  width 
the  tucks  are  to  be  made,  a  paper  measure  can  be  made 
as  follows.  —  Make  a  mark  as  far  from  the  end  of  the 
paper,  as  the  sum  of  the  distance  apart  and  the  width  of 
the  tucks  ;  make  a  second  mark  beyond  the  first  mark, 
the  width  of  the  tucks  ;  make  a  third  mark  as  far  from 
the  second  mark,  as  the  sum  of  the  distance  apart  and 
twice  the  width  of  the  tucks  ;  make  a  fourth  mark 
beyond  the  third  mark,  the  width  of  the  tucks  ;  continue 
as  for  the  third  and  fourth  marks.  When  two  tucks  have 
been  made,  the  next  can  be  easily  marked  by  folding  the 
wrong  side  together  at  the  second  tuck,  and  making  pin- 
holes  at  the  folds  of  the  first  tuck.  The  edge  of  one 
tuck  may  form  the  guide  for  measuring  the  next,  though 
it  is  better  to  mark  and  baste  all  the  tucks  for  a  short 
distance.  Narrow  tucks,  one-eighth  of  an  inch  apart,  are 
neat  and  pretty,  but  must  be  made  very  carefully,  as  the 
difference  of  a  thread  is  quickly  noticed. 

What  is  a  tuck?     What  is  its  use?     How  should  the  tucks   be  sewed?     Which 
way  of  the  cloth  can  they  be  made  ?     What  is  the  chief  difficulty  in  making  tucks  ? 


PLAITING. 

A  plait  is  a  fold  made  in  a  garment,  for  fulness  or 
trimming. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  pins,  and  a 
piece  of  cloth  nine  and  a  half  inches  long  and  four  inches 
wide,  with  a  narrow  hem  at  the  ends  and  lower  edge. 

Plaiting. —  i.  On  the  raw  edge  of  the  cloth,  with  the 
right  side  towards  you,  measure  one  inch  from  the  right- 


74 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


hand  end,  and  mark  it  by  cutting  a  small  notch  or  insert 
ing  a  pin  vertically. 

2.  Mark  every  inch  and  a  half  to  the  left  of  this. 

3.  Fold  the  cloth  at  the  first  notch,  and  bring  the  fok 
to  the  edge  of  the  hem. 

4.  Insert  a  pin  in  the  middle  of  the  three  thicknesses  01 
cloth. 

5.  Fold  at  the  next  notch,  and  bring  it  exactly  to  the 
underfold  of  the  first  plait. 


Fig.  57.  —  Showing  basted  plaits,  half-an-inch  wide- 


6.  Place  a  pin  in  the  middle  of  the  plait. 

7.  Fold  and  pin  the  other  plaits  in  the  same  way. 

8.  Baste  with  even  stitches,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from 
the  edge  (Fig.  57). 

Suggestions.  —  Plaits  can  be  laid  either  to  the  right  01 
to  the  left.  There  can  be  spaces  between  the  plaits,  01 
they  can  meet,  as  in  Fig.  57.  If  the  plaits  meet,  the 
material  must  be  three  times  the  length  that  it  desired, 
when  finished.  Box-plaiting  is  made  by  beginning  at  the 


FELLING.  75 

middle,  and  laying  a  plait  to  the  right,  and  another  to 
the  left  ;  double  box-plaiting  is  made  by  adding  more 
side-plaits. 

What  is  a  plait  ?     What  is  its  use?     What  different  kinds  of  plaiting  are  there? 


FELLING. 

A  fell  is  a  seam  hemmed  down  to  protect  the  edges. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  and  No.  9  needles,  No.  50  and  No.  80 
thread,  and  two  pieces  of  cotton  cloth,  each  five  inches 
long  and  two  inches  wide. 


Fig    58.  —  Showing  the  seam  basted. 

Straight-way  fell.  —  i .  Place  the  pieces  of  cloth  together, 
with  one  edge  one-eighth  of  an  inch  below  the  other,  and 
baste  a  narrow  seam  (Fig.  58). 

2.  Sew  the  seam  with  a  running  and  a  backstitch. 

3.  Take  out   the  basting  thread,  unfold  the  pieces  of 
cloth,  and  lay  the  seam  over,  so  that  the  wider  edge  will 
be  uppermost. 

4.  Turn  to  the  right  side,  and  press  carefully,   exactly 
at  the  sewing  of  the  seam. 

5.  Make  a  narrow  hem  (Fig.  59),  tucking  the  ravellings 
under  with  the  point  of  the  needle. 


76 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Suggestions.  —  Hem  a  fell  cut  on  the  bias,  with  the 
grain  of  the  cloth,  or  from  the  wider  part  to  the  narrow, 
as  drawers  from  the  top  down.  A  fell  can  be  made  by 


Fig.  59.  —  Showing  the  fell  partly'  hemmed. 

sewing  it  with  the  edges  even,  then  pare  one  edge,  being 
careful  to  have  the  right  side  of  the  sewing  come  on  the 
upper  side  of  the  fell. 

What  is  a  fell  ?  What  is  its  use  ?  How  are  the  pieces  of  cloth  placed  together  ? 
What  should  be  the  width  of  the  seam  ?  How  should  the  seam  be  sewed  ?  What  is 
done,  after  the  basting  is  removed  ?  What  is  done  next  ?  How  is  a  fell,  cut  on  the 
bias,  hemmed  ? 


FRENCH    SEAM. 

A  French  seam  is  a  neat  manner  of  joining  materials 
that  fray. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  scissors,  and 
two  pieces  of  calico,  each  five  inches  long  and  two  inches 
wide. 

French  seam.  —  i .  Place  the  wrong  sides  of  the  calico 
together. 

2.  Baste  one-eighth  of  an  inch  from  the  edge. 

3.  Run  directly  under  the  basting. 


SLIP    OR    BLIND-STITCH.  77 

4.  Cut  the  ravellings  from  the  edges  of  the  seam. 

5.  Turning  the  wrong  side  of  the  calico  towards  you, 
fold  the  right  sides  together,  and  crease  at  the  sewing  of 
the  seam. 

6.  Baste,  so  that  the  raw  edges  are  enclosed. 

7.  Half-backstitch    the    seam,    being    careful    that    no 
ravellings  can  be  seen  on  the  right  side. 

Suggestion.  —  Trimming  can  be  put  on  in  this  manner, 
having  the  seam  very  narrow. 

What  is  a  French  seam  ?  Which  sides  of  the  cloth  should  be  placed  together  ? 
How  wide  a  seam  should  be  made?  With  what  kind  of  stitches  should  the  seam  be 
finished  ? 


FRENCH    HEM    ON    DAMASK. 

French  hemming  is  used  in  hemming  .table-linen. 
Materials.  —  No.  9  needle,  No.  70  thread,  and  a  strip  of 
cotton  cloth  or  table-linen. 

French  hem.  —  I .   Crease  a  narrow  hem. 

2.  Holding  the  wrong  side  towards  you,  fold  and  crease 
the  cloth,  so  as  to  make  it  even  with  the  first  fold  of  the 
hem. 

3.  Proceed  as  in  overhanding. 


SLIP    OR    BLIND-STITCH. 

A  slip  or  blind-stitch  is  used  to  fasten  a  hem  lightly. 

Materials.  —  No.  9  needle,  No.  70  thread,  and  a  strip  of 
cotton  cloth. 

Slip  or  blind-stitch.  —  i .  Fold  and  crease  a  hem  half-an- 
inch  wide. 


/  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

2.  Baste  about  a  fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  edge. 

3.  Make  a  small  knot  in  the  thread. 

4.  Conceal  the  knot  by  drawing  the  needle    through 
the  under  part  of   the  fold,  one-eighth  of  an  inch  from 
the  end. 

5.  Take  up  one  or  two  threads  of  the  cloth,  and  before 
drawing    the    needle    through,   take  up  one-fourth  of  an 
inch  of  the  edge  of  the  fold. 

6.  Continue  in  this  manner,  being  careful  not  to  draw 
the  thread  tightly. 

7.  Fasten  securely. 

Suggestions.  —  This  stitch  is  used  for  sewing  hems  on 
woollen  cloth,  where  it  is  desired  to  conceal  the  stitches. 
Trimmings  of  silk  and  velvet  are  often  put  on  with  this 
stitch. 

For  what  is  a  slip  or  blind-stitch  used?     How  are  the  stitches  taken  ? 


EDGINGS    AND    RUFFLES. 
An  edging  is  a  trimming  on  the  border  of  a  garment. 

LACE  EDGING. 

Lace  edging  is  made  of  fine  threads  woven  into  a  net. 

Materials.  —  No.  9  needle,  No.  70  thread,  pins,  half- 
a-yard  of  inch-wide  lace,  and  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth 
six  inches  long  and  four  inches  wide,  with  a  narrow  hem 
at  the  ends  and  upper  edge,  and  an  inch  hem  at  the  lower 
edge. 

Lace  edging.  —  I .  Holding  the  scalloped  edge  towards 
you,  make  a  narrow  hem  at  the  right-hand  end  of  the  lace. 


EDGINGS    AND    RUFFLES. 


79 


2.  Holding    the    right    sides    of    the    lace    and    cloth 
together,  place  the  hemmed  end  of  the  lace  at  the  top 
edge  of  the  upper  left-hand  corner  of  the  cloth. 

3.  Holding  the  lace  loosely,  lightly  overhand  the  edges 
to  within  a  fourth  of  an  inch  of  the  corner. 

4.  Run  the  needle  in  and  out  of  the  cloth,  to  keep  it 
temporarily  secure. 

5.  Pin  the  lace  at  the  corner. 


Fig.  60.  —  Showing  lace  sewed  on,  and  corners  turned. 

6.  Measure  the  width  of  the  lace,  and  leaving  twice  the 
width,  pin  again  at  the  corner. 

7.  One-fourth  of  an  inch  beyond  the  corner,   pin  'the 
lace  to  the  cloth. 

8.  Run  a  gathering  thread  in  the    edge  of   the  lace, 
from  the  overhanding  to  the  last  pin. 

9.  Overhand  around  the  corner,  bringing  the  fulness  as 
much  as  possible  at  the  corner  (Fig.  60). 

10.  Turn  the  other  corner  in  the  same  manner,  and 
finish  by  hemming  the  end  of  the  lace. 


8O  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

Suggestions.  —  Lace  can  be  sewed  on  full  by  dividing 
the  lace  and  the  edge  to  which  it  is  to  be  sewed,  into 
halves,  quarters,  etc.;  and  running  a  gathering  thread 
through  the  edge  of  the  lace,  before  basting  it  on.  In 
turning  corners,  it  is  better  to  leave  a  little  more  than 
twice  the  width  of  the  lace,  as  there  must  be  enough  on 
the  outer  edge,  to  prevent  the  lace  from  hooping.  With 
wide  lace,  leave  more  than  one-fourth  of  an  inch  on  each 
side  of  the  corner,  for  the  fulness  of  the  lace. 

When  measuring  for  the  quantity  of  edging  needed, 
allow  enough  for  the  corners.  When  the  ends  of  the  lace 
meet,  join  by  a  fell. 

HAMBURG  EDGING. 

Hamburg  edging  is  an  embroidered  edge,  made  by 
machinery.  It  can  be  sewed  on,  when  no  fulness  is 
required,  by  a  fell  (page  75),  a  French  seam  (page  76),  a 
facing  (page  52),  or  by  overhanding ;  when  fulness  is 
required,  by  a  facing  (page  52),  or  by  whipping  (page  82). 

When  much  wear  will  come  on  the  edging,  it  is  ad- 
visable to  overhand  it,  as  it  can  then  be  easily  removed  ; 
the  raw  edge  of  the  Hamburg  should  first  be  overcast 
with  very  fine  thread.  The  corners  should  be  turned,  and 
the  ends  sewed,  as  with  lace. 

RUFFLES. 

Ruffles  are  made  of  various  materials,  and  are  plaited, 
gathered,  or  whipped. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  and  No.  9  needles,  No.  40,  No.  70, 
and  No.  80  thread,  pins,  scissors,  and  a  piece  of  cotton 
cloth  six  inches  long  and  three  inches  wide,  hemmed  at 
the  ends  and  upper  side  ;  for  the  facing,  a  piece  of  cloth 


EDGINGS    AND    RUFFLES.  8 1 

six  inches  long  and  one  and  a  half  inches  wide  ;  for  the 
ruffle,  a  piece  of  cambric  nine  inches  long  and  two  inches 
wide,  with  a  very  narrow  hem  at  the  ends  and  lower  edge. 
A  ruffle  faced  on.  —  i .  Mark  the  raw  edges  of  the  ruffle 
and  the  cloth,  by  notches,  into  halves  and  quarters.  Also 
mark  the  middle  of  the  facing  by  a  notch. 

2.  Gather  the  ruffle. 

3.  Place  the  right  sides  of  the  cloth  and  ruffle  together, 
and  pin  at  the  corresponding  notches. 

4.  Draw  up  the  gathering  thread,  and  fasten  around  the 
pin. 

5.  Adjust  the  gathers,  and  run  exactly  on  the  gathering 
thread. 

6.  Pin  the  middle  and  ends  of  the  facing  to  the  ruffle, 
and  baste. 

7.  Turn  the  other  side  towards  you,  and  half-backstitch 
close  below  the  running  stitches. 

8.  Take  out  the  basting  threads. 

9.  Turn  the  facing  over  and  crease  it  carefully  at  the 
seam. 

10.  Baste  and  hem  the  opposite  edge  of  the  facing. 
Suggestions.  —  A  heading  on  a  ruffle  can  be  made  by 

folding  the  required  width  for  the  heading,  and  gathering 
it,  making  one  or  more  rows  as  desired.  The  fulness  of 
the  ruffle  depends  upon  the  material  ;  a  narrow  cambric 
ruffle  should  be  about  one  and  a  half  times  the  length  of 
the  part  to  which  it  is  to  be  sewed.  In  making  a  ruffle  of 
more  than  one  breadth,  the  ends  should  be  joined  neatly 
before  hemming  or  gathering. 

What  is  an  edging  ?  Of  what  is  lace  edging  made  ?  How  should  the  lace  be  held 
in  overhanding  ?  What  allowance  for  fulness  should  be  made  in  turning  a  corner  ? 
How  should  lace  be  sewed  on,  when  fulness  is  required?  What  is  Hamburg  edging? 
In  what  ways  can  it  be  sewed  on,  when  there  is  no  fulness  ?  When  fulness  is  required  ? 
From  what  are  ruffles  made  ?  What  is  first  done  to  the  ruffle,  the  cloth,  and  the  facing  ? 


82 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


WHIPPING. 

Whipping  is  forming  gathers  by  overcasting  a  rolled 
edge  of  fine  material,  and  drawing  up  the  thread. 

Materials.  —  No.  6  and  No.  8  needles,  No.  40  and  No.  60 
thread,  pins,  scissors,  a  strip  of  paper,  and  a  piece  of 
cotton  cloth  six  inches  long  and  four  inches  wide,  with  a 
narrow  hem  on  the  ends  and  upper  edge,  and  an  inch  hem 
on  the  lower  edge  ;  for  the  ruffle,  a  piece  of  plain  cambric, 
twelve  inches  long  and  two  inches  wide,  with  a  narrow 
hem  on  the  ends  and  one  side. 


_ — .-     -  "      -     aga^ss^^^gir— T^r— 

Fig.  61  .  —  Showing  the  rolling  and  overcasting  of  the  ruffle. 


Whipping.  —  i .   Practise  rolling  tightly  the  edge  of  the 
piece  of  paper.      It  must  be  rolled,  not  folded. 

2.  Divide  the  edge  of  the  inch  hem,  and  the  raw  edge 
of  the  cambric,  into  halves  and  quarters,  and  mark,  one 
inch  from  the  edge,  by  cross-stitches. 

3.  Trim  the  ravellings  from  the  raw  edge. 

4.  Hold  the  wrong  side  of  the  cambric  towards  you. 

5.  Beginning   at  the   right-hand   corner,   roll  the  first 
half-inch  of  the  cambric  towards  you,  between  the  thumb 
and  the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand. 


WHIPPING.  83 

6.  Take  the  coarse  needle  and  thread,  and  make  a  small 
knot. 

7.  Inserting  the  needle  at  the  corner,  under  the  roll, 
take  one  or  two  stitches,  to  fasten  the  end. 

8.  Hold  the  end  of  the  roll  between  the  right  thumb 
and  forefinger,  and,  placing  the  cambric  between  the  third 
and  little  finger  of  the  left  hand,  draw  tightly. 

9.  Pressing  the  left  thumb  against  the  forefinger,  rub 
an   inch   of    the   edge   upwards   and   downwards,    until   a 
small,  firm  roll  is  made. 

10.  Overcast,  as  far  as  the  cloth  is  rolled  tightly,  insert- 
ing the  needle  under  the  roll  (Fig.  61). 

1 1.  Draw  up  the  thread,  holding  it  on  a  line  with  the 
raw  edge.      If  the  roll  is  small,  and  the  stitches  are  taken 
loosely  and  at  regular  intervals,  the  ruffle  will  draw  easily 
on  the  thread. 

12.  Continue,  rolling  and  whipping  an  inch  or  two  at  a 
time. 

13.  Placing  the  right  sides  of  the  rufHe  and  hem  to- 
gether, pin  the  divisions  of  the  ruffle  to  the  divisions  of  the 
hem. 

14.  Draw  up  the  ruffle  to  the  length  of  the  hem,  and 
wind  the  thread  around  the  pin. 

15.  Holding  the  ruffle  towards  you,  overhand,  inserting 
the  needle  in  each  fold  of  the  whipping,  so  that  the  thread 
will  lie  between  the  folds  (Fig.  62). 

1 6.  Fasten  both  the  whipping   and    the    overhanding 
thread. 

Suggestions.  —  The  fingers  should  be  perfectly  clean,  to 
prevent  soiling  the  work.  In  whipping,  some  prefer  to 
take  hemming  stitches  instead  of  overcasting  stitches. 
A  ruffle,  for  whipping,  should  be  twice  the  length  of  the 


84 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


part  to  which  it  is  to  be  sewed  ;  it  is  sometimes  advisable 
to  make  it  more  than  twice  as  full.  A  ruffle  cut  across  the 
cloth  whips  easier  than  one  cut  lengthwise.  A  fine  ma- 
terial whips  more  readily  than  a  coarse  one.  Ruffles 
should  be  cut  by  a  thread,  which  can  be  done  by  tearing, 
and  then  trimming  the  edges. 


Fig.  62.  —  Showing  the  overhanding.of  the  ruffle  to  the  cloth. 

It  is  best  to  use  short  lengths  of  thread,  as  a  great  strain 
comes,  when  the  ruffle  is  drawn.  In  making  a  long  ruffle, 
have  a  thread  for  each  division,  and  measure  as  you  draw 
the  thread.  The  thread  will  draw  easier,  if  a  large  needle 
is  used.  When  corners  are  to  be  turned,  allow  extra  ful- 
ness, so  that  the  ruffle  will  lie  flat  (page  79).  In  over- 
handing  a  ruffle,  the  garment  can  be  held  towards  you,  but, 
if  the  whipping  thread  should  prove  too  short,  there  is  no 
way  to  lengthen  it  ;  while,  if  the  ruffle  is  held  towards  you, 
the  thread  can  be  drawn  up  or  lengthened. 

What  is  whipping  ?  In  whipping,  which  side  of  the  ruffle  should  be  held  towards 
you  ?  How  do  you  begin  ?  What  kind  of  a  needle  and  thread  should  be  used  ?  How 
is  the  roll  held  ?  How  rolled  ?  What  is  done  next  ?  How  is  the  thread  drawn  ? 
How  continue  ?  How  is  the  ruffle  sewed  on  to  the  hem? 


STOCKINET    DARNING. 


STOCKINET    DARNING. 

Stockinet  darning  is  used  in  filling  in  a  hole  with 
thread,  so  as  to  supply  the  part  that  has  been  destroyed  ; 
or  in  strengthening  a  place  which  shows  signs  of  weak- 
ness. 

PRACTICE  IN  WEAVING. 

Materials.  —  A  long-eyed  needle,  a  knot  of  split  zephyr, 
a  sharp-pointed  lead-pencil,  and  a  two  and  an  eighth  inch 
square  of  cardboard. 

Lattice-work.  —  i .    Turn    to 
the  measure  (page  13). 

2.  On  one  side  of  the  card- 
board   half-an-inch    from    the 
end,  and  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
from    the    edge,   make   a    dot 
with  the  pencil. 

3.  On  a  line  with  this  dot, 
make  nine  more  dots  exactly 
one-eighth  of  an  inch  apart. 

4.  Mark    the    opposite    side  Fig.  63.  — Showing  the  weaving 
with    dots  exactly  parallel   to 

the  other  dots. 

5.  Make  a  knot  in  the  zephyr  and   work    across    the 
cardboard  from  dot  to  dot  (Fig.  63),  having  the  stitches 
on  the  under  side  one-eighth  of  an  inch  long. 

6.  Weave  across  these  threads  by  taking  up  and  pass- 
ing over  a  thread  alternately  (Fig.  63).     Take  a  number 
of  threads  on  the  needle  at  once. 

7.  Make  the  second  row  by  taking  up  those  threads, 
which  were  passed  over  before. 


or    lattice-work    of    threads 
over  cardboard. 


86  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

8.  When  the  row  is  finished,  leave  a  short  loop  of  the 
zephyr  at  the  opposite  end,  and  holding  it  firmly,   draw 
the  zephyr  until  it  is  straight. 

9.  Continue    in    this    manner,  always    taking    up    the 
threads  passed  over  in  the  previous  row. 

Suggestion.  —  Coarse  canvas  can  be  used  instead  of 
cardboard,  and  in  the  place  of  zephyr,  a  small  cord  or 
coarse  thread  can  be  used. 

STOCKINET  DARNING. 

Materials,  —  A  long-eyed  needle,  No.  7  needle,  No.  50 
thread,  scissors,  a  small  spool  of  embroidery  silk,  a  piece 
of  cardboard  or  heavy  paper  three  inches  long  and  two 
and  a  half  inches  wide,  and  a  piece  of  woollen  stockinet, 
cut  four  inches  lengthwise  by  a  rib  of  the  stockinet,  and 
three  inches  and  a  half  across. 

Stockinet  darning. —  i.  Place  the  cardboard  on  the 
wrong  side  of  the  stockinet,  leaving  half-an-inch  at  each 
side  to  be  folded  over  the  cardboard. 

2.  Baste  one  of  the  lengthwise  edges  of  the  stockinet, 
having  it  folded  exactly  by  a  rib. 

3.  Drawing    the    stockinet    smoothly  across,   fold    the 
opposite  side  by  a  rib,  and  baste. 

4.  Fold  and  baste  the  ends. 

5.  In  the  centre  of  the  stockinet,  cut  a  circle,  three- 
fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter. 

6.  Holding  the  stockinet  lengthwise,  begin  at  the  right 
side,  half-an-inch  from  the  edge  of  the  circle  (Fig.  64,  a]. 

7.  Pointing    the    large    needle    from    you,    take    two 
stitches,  leaving  half-an-inch  of  the  end  of  the  silk  to  be 
cut  off  afterwards. 


STOCKINET    DARNING.  8/ 

8.  With  the  needle  pointing  towards   you,  make   the 
next  row  of  three  stitches,  taking  up  the  threads  of  the 
stockinet,  that  were  passed  over  in  the  preceding  row. 

9.  So  continue,  making  each  row  a  little  longer  at  both 
top  and  bottom,  as  in  Fig.  64,  till  the  centre  of  the  circle 
is    reached  ;     then    decrease    in     the    same     proportion 
(Fig.   64). 


Fig.  64.  —  Showing  a  hole  cut,  and  partly  darned. 

10.  Be  careful  to  put  the  needle  through  the  loops  of 
the  stockinet,  at  the  edge  of  the  circle. 

1 1 .  Cross  the  darn  in  the  same  manner,  making  per- 
fect lattice- work,  (Fig.  64). 

Suggestions.  —  The  stockinet  is  put  on  the  cardboard  to 
keep  it  in  place  while  being  worked,  and  silk  is  used  that 
the  stitches  may  be  easily  seen,  and  also  that  the  lesson 
may  be  interesting.  In  mending  a  stocking,  hold  the 


88  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

work  across  three  fingers  of  the  left  hand.  A  darning 
ball  can  be  used,  which  prevents  the  fingers  from  being 
pricked,  but  it  is  apt  to  stretch  the  stocking  and  the  darn. 
The  darning  can  be  done  on  either  side  of  the  stocking, 
and  should  be  worked  as  far  as  the  stocking  shows  signs 
of  weakness  ;  it  should  first  be  worked  vertically  and 
parallel  to  the  ribs  of  the  stocking.  Loops  of  about  one- 
sixteenth  of  an  inch  can  be  left  at  each  end,  to  provide 
for  shrinkage  ;  stretching  the  darn  slightly,  when  it  is 
finished,  will  take  up  these  loops. 

The  edge  of  a  darn  must  never  be  made  on  one  thread, 
as  a  single  thread  is  not  strong  enough  to  bear  the  strain; 
a  diamond  or  oval  shape  is  better.  It  is  wise  to  darn  a 
thin  place  before  a  hole  appears.  In  mending  a  large 
hole,  draw  out  the  rough  ends,  and,  using  a  fine  needle 
and  thread,  bring  the  loops  or  threads  as  near  as  pos- 
sible to  their  proper  position.  To  retain  the  proper 
shape  of  a  large  darn,  begin  the  crossing  at  the  middle 
instead  of  the  end.  The  darning  yarn  should  correspond 
in  color  and  quality  to  the  stocking.  If  too  coarse  a  yarn 
is  used,  a  hard  bunch  is  made. 

For  what  is  stockinet  darning  used  ?  How  should  the  stockinet  be  held  ?  Where 
should  the  darning  begin  ?  How  is  the  first  row  made  ?  How  is  the  second  row 
made  ?  How  continue  ?  What  care  should  be  taken  at  the  edge  of  the  circle  ?  How 
should  a  darn  be  crossed  ?  In  mending  a  stocking  how  should  the  work  be  held  ? 
What  are  the  best  shapes  for  darning  ? 


GRAFTING. 


89 


GRAFTING. 

Grafting  is  joining  two  pieces  of  stockinet  in  such  a 
manner,  as  to  render  the  joining  invisible. 

Materials.  —  A  long-eyed  needle,  two  pieces  of  coarse 
stockinet,  and  yarn  the  quality  and  color  of  the 
stockinet.  • 

Grafting.  —  i.  Ravel  the  two  edges  that  are  to  be  joined, 
until  the  loops  are  perfectly  even  and  clear. 


Fig.  65.  —  Showing  grafting  stitches,  and  needle  in  position. 

2.  Place  the  edges  together,  so  that  the  loops  of  one 
are   exactly  opposite   the  corresponding  openings  of   the 
other  (Fig.  65). 

3.  Holding  the  right  side  towards  you,  work  from  right 
to  left. 

4.  Fasten  the  end  of  the  yarn,  by  darning  it  in  and  out 
on  the  wrong  side  of  the  stockinet. 

5.  Inserting  the  needle  in  an  upper  loop  (Fig.  65,  a), 
bring  it  out  in  the  next  loop  (Fig.  65,  b). 

6.  Inserting  the  needle  in  the  under  loop  (Fig.  65,  c) 


gO  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

opposite  the  last  upper  loop,  bring  it  out  in  the  next  loop 
(Fig.  65,  d). 

7.  Continue,  taking  two  upper  loops,  then  two  under 
loops,  using  one  new  loop  each  time,  which  will  cause  the 
needle  to  be  inserted  twice  in  each  loop. 

8.  Fasten  the  yarn,  by  darning  it  in  and  out  on  the 
wrong  side. 

Swiss-darning.  — The  stitches  in  Swiss-darning  are  taken 
in  a  manner  similar  to  grafting,  and  are  worked  over  the 
stitches  in  the  stockinet,  to  strengthen  a  thin  place. 

Suggestions.  —  A  patch  in  stockinet  can  be  put  in  almost 
invisibly  as  follows  :  cut  a  square  or  oblong  hole  in  the 
stockinet,  carefully,  by  a  thread,  and  ravel  the  sides  until 
the  loops  are  even  ;  cut  the  patch,  by  a  thread,  the  exact 
size  of  the  hole,  and  clear  the  loops  ;  graft  in  the  top  and 
lower  edges,  and  Swiss-darn  the  side  edges  together, 
working  over  four  or  five  stitches  at  each  side  of  the 
joining. 

What  is  grafting  ?  What  is  first  done  ?  How  are  the  edges  placed  together  ?  How 
are  the  stitches  taken?  How  are  the  stitches  taken  in  Swiss  darning? 


STOCKING-WEB    STITCH. 

Stocking-web  stitches  are  used  for  filling  in  a  hole  in 
stockinet,  so  as  to  present  the  same  appearance  as  the 
woven  stockinet,  and  are  made  on  a  foundation  of  strands. 

Materials.  —  A  long-eyed  needle,  No.  7  needle,  No.  40 
thread,  a  piece  of  coarse  stockinet  three  inches  square, 
yarn  to  match  in  color  and  quality,  and  a  piece  of  card- 
board two  inches  square. 


STOCKING- WEB    STITCH.  9 1 

Stocking-web  stitches.  —  I .  In  the  centre  of  the  stocki- 
net, cut  carefully,  by  a  thread,  an  inch  square. 

2.  Ravel  the  edges  until  the  loops  are  clear  and  even. 

3.  With  the  wrong  side  of  the  stockinet  to  the  card- 
board, fold  over  the  edges  and  baste  carefully. 


Fig.  66.  —  Showing  the  foundation  of  strands  for  stocking-web  stitches. 


4.  With  the  fine  needle  and  thread,  connect  the  upper 
and  lower  loops,  as  in  Fig.  66. 

5.  Hold  the  ribs  of  the  stockinet  vertically. 

6.  Having  the  coarse  needle  threaded  with  the  yarn, 
insert  it  one  or  two  loops  to  the  right  of  the  lower  row, 
and  one  row  above  (Fig.  67,  a). 

7.  Swiss-darn   (page  90)  over  these  stitches,  and  work 
across  the  strands  with  a  stitch  similar  to  grafting,  insert- 


92  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

ing  the  needle  between  the  strands  in  beginning  and  finish- 
ing the  loop  (Fig.  67). 

8.    Finish  the  row  by  Swiss-darning  over  two  or  three 
loops  beyond. 


Fig.  67.  —  Showing  stocking-web  stitches,  and  needle  in  position. 

9.  Turn  the  work  around,  and  one  row  above,  work 
back  in  a  similar  manner. 

10.  Continue   working   up  the   strands,  and  finish  by 
grafting  the  last  row  of  loops  made,  to  the  loops  of  the 
stockinet. 

For  what  are  stocking-web  stitches  used  ?     On  what  are  they  made  ? 


CLOTH    DARNING.  93 

CLOTH    DARNING. 

Cloth  darning  is  used  to  strengthen  worn  places,  or  to 
draw  together  the  edges  of  a  tear  or  cut. 

STRAIGHTWAY-DARN. 

Materials.  —  No.  9  needle,  No.  80  red,  blue  and  pink 
thread,  and  two  pieces  of  cotton  cloth,  each  three  inches 
and  a  half  square. 


Pink  thread. 
Blue  thread. 
Pink  thread. 


Fig.  68.  —  Showing  the  cloth  prepared  by  running  lines,  for  practice  in 
darning  a  straightway-tear ;  the  blue  thread  representing  the  tear. 

Straightway-tear, —  Darned  with   vertical    stitches.     A 
blue  thread  represents  the  tear. 

1.  Crease  across  the  middle  of  one  of  the  squares  of 
cloth. 

2.  Leaving  an  inch  and  a  fourth  at  each  end,  make  a 
running  on  the  crease,  with  the  blue  thread  (Fig.  68). 

3.  Make  two  creases,  one,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  above; 
and  one,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  below  the  running. 

4.  Leaving  an  inch  at  both  ends,  make  a  running  on 
each  crease,  with  pink  thread  (Fig.  68).    (The  pink  threads 
are  boundary  lines  for  the  stitches). 

5.  Hold  the  tear  over  the  cushion  of    the    left    fore- 
finger. 

6.  Threading  the  needle  with  red  thread,  insert  it  at 
the  right  of  the  lower  pink  line  (Fig.  69,  a). 

7.  Take  six  running    stitches    upwards,   bringing    the 


94  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

needle  out  a  little  below  the  upper  pink  line  (Fig.  69,  b) 
and  leaving  an  end  of  the  thread  to  be  cut  off  later. 

8.    Finish  the  row,  by  in- 
>       serting  the  needle  above  the 
line  ;  draw  it  through  below 
the   line   for   beginning   the 
-  i-  \-  \-  >-  H^a      next  r0w. 

Fig.  69.— Showing  the  tear  partly        9-    Taking  up  the  threads 

darned  with  vertical  stitches.         of      the     cloth,     which     were 

passed  over  in  the  preceding 
row,  bring  the  needle  out  a  little  above  the  lower  pink  line. 

10.  Insert    the    needle    below    the    line,    and    draw  it 
through  above  the  line  for  beginning  the  next  row. 

1 1 .  Make  two  rows,  between  this  row  and  the  end  of 
the  tear. 

12.  Beginning  the  fifth  row  above  the  lower  line,  put 
the  needle,  at  the  third  stitch,  down  through  the  blue  line 
or  .tear  (Fig.  69,  c}. 

13.  Take  two  more  stitches,  bringing  the  needle  out 
below  the  upper  pink  line. 

14.  Finish  the  row  ;  and  continue  in  the  same  manner, 
always    putting    the    needle    at    the    third    stitch,    down 
through  the  tear,  to  secure  the  edges. 

15.  In    finishing    the    darn,    make    four  rows   beyond 
the  tear. 

Straightway-tear. —  Darned  ~  ~/^~  ^~  ?' 
with  slanting  stitches.  — \ — ' — rc'  \ 

1.  Crease,  and  run  a  square  V     V     \ 
of  cloth  as  before  (Fig.  68). 

2.  Threading     the    needle     Fig.  70.— Showing  the  tear  partly 

with  red  thread,  insert  it  at       darned  with  slantin^  stitches' 
the  right  of  the  lower  pink  line  (Fig.  70,  a). 


CLOTH    DARNING. 


95 


3.  On  a  line,  slanting  so  as  to  cut  off  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  on  the  opposite  line,  take  six  running  stitches,  bring- 
ing  the    needle    out  a  little  below  the  upper  line  (Fig. 
70,  b),  and  leaving  an  end  of  the  thread  to  be  cut  of  later. 

4.  Insert  the  needle  above  the  line,  and  pointing    it 
towards  you,  take  six  stitches  on  a  line,  all  having  the 
same  slant.     Bring  the  needle  out  above  the  lower  line  at 
the  sixth  stitch. 

5.  Insert  the  needle  below  the  lower  line  and  take  six 
stitches,  having  the  same  slant  as  before  ;  at  the  fourth 
stitch,  draw  the  needle  down  through  the  tear  (Fig.  70,  c). 

6.  Continue  in  this  manner,  always  drawing  the  needle 
down  through  the  tear,  at  the  fourth  stitch. 

7.  In  finishing  the  darn,  make  several  rows  beyond  the 
tear. 

BIAS-DARN. 

Materials.  —  Same  as  for  a  straightway-darn  (page  93). 
Bias-darn,  or  across  both   the  warp   and   the  woof.  —  A 

blue  thread  represents  the  tear. 

1.  Crease  the  square  of  cloth  diago- 
nally from  corner  to  corner. 

2.  Leaving  two  inches  at  each  end, 
run  on  the  crease  with  blue 

thread. 

3.  Make  two  creases,  one, 
one-fourth  of  an  inch  above  ; 
and    one,    one-fourth    of    an   /  / 

inch  below  the  running.  / 

4.  Leaving  an  inch  and  a 
fourth  at  both  ends,  make  a 

running  on  each  crease  with  pink  thread. 


Fig.     7  I .  —  Showing 
a  bias-darn. 


96 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


5.  Thread  the  needle  with  red  thread. 

6.  At   the   right,   and   beyond   the   blue    line  or  tear, 
make  four  rows  of  eight  stitches  each,  (as  for  a  straight- 
way-darn, page  94)  on  a  line  with  the  vertical  threads  of 
the  cloth  (Fig.  71). 

7.  Beginning,  the  fifth  row  above  the  lower  line,  draw 
the  needle  down  through  the  tear    at  the  fourth   stitch 
(Fig.   7i,c). 

8.  Take  three  more  stitches,  bringing  the  needle  out 
below  the  upper  line. 

9.  Insert  the  needle  above  the  line,  to  finish  the  row  ; 
drawing  it  out  below  the  line  for  the  next  row. 

10.  Continue    in    this    manner,    always    drawing    the 
needle  down  through  the  tear,  at  the  fourth  stitch. 

11.  In  finishing  the  darn,  make  several  rows  beyond 
the  tear. 

CORNER-DARN. 

Materials,  —  Same  as  for  a  straightway-darn  (page  93). 
Corner-darn.  —  A  blue  thread  represents  the  tear. 

1.  Crease  one  side  of  the 
cloth  one  inch  from  the  edge. 

2.  At     right    angles    with 
the     crease,     make     another 
crease    one    inch    from    the 
edge. 

3.  Call  the  vertex  of  the 
angle  a  (Fig.  72). 

4.  With    the   pink    thread 
run  on    the    crease,   on  both 

sides  of  the  angle,  one  and  a  half  inches  from  point  a 
(Fig.  72). 


'%: 

/ 

\  | 

—               ______ 

^\\ 

, 

t 

\  Fig.    72.  —  Show- 
ing    the     cloth 
prepared  for 
practice       in 
darning   a   cor- 
ner-tear,and  the 

• 

corner  darned. 

CLOTH    DARNING.  97 

5.  Crease    an    angle    half -an -inch     inside    the    first 
angle. 

6.  With  the  pink  thread,  run  on  the  crease,  on  both 
sides  of  the  angle,  one  inch  (Fig.  72). 

7.  Crease  half-way  between  the  two  angles,  and  run  with 
blue  thread. 

8.  Using  red  thread,  make  a  large  knot  (cut  it  off  after- 
wards), and  insert  the  needle  from  the  right  side,  at  the 
corner  (Fig.  72,  b}.     The  knot  is  made  to  aid  in  drawing 
up  the  corner. 

9.  Run  to  point  a,  putting  the  needle  down  through 
the  tear,  at  the  fourth  stitch. 

10.  Slightly  curving  to  the  right,  return  to  point  b. 

1 1 .  Make  a  row  very  close  and  to  the  left  of  the  first 
row,  taking  the  stitches  alternately. 

12.  Slightly  curving  to  the  left,  return  to  point  b. 

13.  At  the  left,  make  a  row  directly  on  a  line  with  a 
thread  of  the  cloth,  to  the  outer  pink  line. 

14.  Make  a  curved  line  at  the  right  to  point  b. 

15.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  corner,  make  a  row  on 
a  line  with  a  thread  of  the  cloth,  as  far  as  the  outer  pink 
line. 

1 6.  Making    a    line,    curving    to    the    left,   return    to 
point   b. 

17.  Beginning  at  the  corner,  darn  both  sides  with  ver- 
tical stitches  (page  94),  or  slanting  stitches  (page  94). 

DARNING  WITH  A  PIECE  UNDERNEATH. 

In  darning  a  tear,  where  the  garment  is  worn  thin,  or  is 
badly  torn  and  ravelled,  a  piece  of  cloth  should  be  placed 
underneath. 


98  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

1 .  Cut  the  piece  larger  than  the  tear,  being  careful  to 
match  the  grain  of  the  cloth,  also  the  figures  and  stripes. 

2.  Draw  the  tear  into  place,  and  baste  the  right  side  of 
the  piece  to  the  wrong  side  of  the  garment,  matching  it 
exactly. 

3.  Baste  around  the  edge  of  the  tear. 

4.  Take  either  vertical  stitches  (page  94),  or  slanting 
stitches  (page  94),  through  both  thicknesses  of  cloth. 

5.  If  the  hole  is  large,  darn  the  sides  of  the  tear  sepa- 
rately, tucking  the  ravellings  under  with  the  point  of  the 
needle,  as  you  come  to  them. 

6.  After  the  darn  is  finished,  lightly  secure  the  piece 
on  the  wrong  side,  or  cut  it  off  near  the  darning. 


FINE  DRAWING  ON  HEAVY  WOOLLEN  MATERIAL. 

1 .  Use  very  fine  sewing  silk,  and  hold  the  edges  of  the 
tear  flat  upon  the  left  forefinger. 

2.  Inserting  the  needle  half-an-inch  below  the  edge  of 
the  tear,  run  it  through  half  the  thickness  of  cloth,  con- 
cealing the  silk. 

3.  Inserting   the    needle    in    the    opposite    edge,    run 
through  the  cloth  in  the  same  manner. 

4.  Draw  the  edges  closely  together. 

5.  Continue  in  this  manner,  being  careful  not  to  lap  the 
edges. 

6.  Brush  up  the  nap  on  the  right  side. 

7.  Dampen,  and  press  on  the  wrong  side  with  a  hot 
iron. 

It  is  better  to  do  the  darning  on  the  wrong  side;  but,  if 
the  garment  is  lined,  it  may  be  done  on  the  right  side, 


CLOTH    DARNING. 


99 


being  careful   to   insert  the   needle   in  the   cloth   exactly 
where  it  came  out. 

Another  way  to  darn  a  tear  on   heavy  material  is  to 
overcast  the  raw  edges  closely  together,  on  the  wrong  side, 
then  rub  the  seam  open  and  darn  lightly. 
Lay  a  wet  cloth  over  the  darn,  and  press. 
To  make  a  perfectly  flat   seam  on  sel- 
vedges or  heavy  woollen  cloth,  the  edges 
may  be  joined,  as  in  Fig.  73. 

Suggestions.  —  The  aim  in  darning  a  tear 
is  to  repair  the  rent  so  nicely  that  it  can 
not  be  perceived.  In  darning  twilled  ma- 
terial, instead  of  taking  the  stitches  alter- 
nately, make  them  in  slanting  rows  to  cor- 
respond with  the  twill.  A  rent  should  be 
repaired  with  fine  thread  or  silk,  matching 
the  material  in  quality  and  color  ;  if  the  same  color  can 
not  be  obtained,  use  lengthwise  ravellings  of  the  material. 
On  fine  woollen  goods,  hair  can  be  used,  and  the  needle 
should  be  threaded  with  the  root.  When  darning  with 
very  fine  thread  or  ravellings,  use  short  needlefuls.  As 
fine  a  needle  as  possible  should  be  used. 

Darning  can  be  done  on  the  right  or  wrong  side,  accord- 
ing to  the  material.  For  a  tear  in  coarse  material,  the 
stitches  should  be  taken  more  than  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
from  the  edge.  The  closeness  of  the  rows  of  stitches 
depends  upon  the  material  and  the  tear.  Edges  should 
always  be  worked  in  and  out  alternately  to  secure  them. 
Always  protect  the  ends  of  a  tear  by  darning  beyond  them. 
To  keep  the  edges  of  a  long  tear  even,  it  is  best  to  begin 
to  darn  in  the  middle.  When  a  darn  is  finished,  it  should 


IOO  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

be  dampened  and  pressed  on  the  wrong  side,  or  a  thin, 
damp  cloth  can  be  laid  on  the  right  side  and  pressed.  To 
mend  a  rip  in  the  seam  of  a  kid-glove,  overhand  the  edges 
together  on  the  right  side,  using  fine  thread  or  sewing  silk 
matching  the  color  of  the  glove.  If  there  is  a  strain 
coming  on  the  seam,  button-hole  stitch  the  edges,  and 
then  overhand  the  purls  of  the  stitches  together. 

For  what  is  cloth  darning  used  ?  How  should  the  tear  be  held  ?  Where  should 
the  needle  be  inserted  ?  What  kind  of  stitches  should  be  taken  ?  What  threads  are 
taken  up  in  the  second  row  ?  Where  should  the  needle  be  put  at  the  third  stitch  in 
the  fifth  and  succeeding  rows  ?  How  should  the  stitches  on  a  bias-darn  be  taken  ? 
Where  should  the  needle  be  inserted  in  a  corner-darn  ?  Why  is  a  knot  made  ? 
How  many  rows  of  stitches  are  made  at  the  corner  ?  What  is  the  aim  in  darning  ? 
What  can  be  used  instead  of  thread  ?  What  should  be  done  after  a  darn  is  finished  ? 
How  should  a  kid-glove  be  mended  ? 


PATCHING. 

A  patch  is  a  piece  of  cloth,  sewed  on  to  a  garment  to 
repair  it. 

HEMMING  ON  A  PATCH. 

Materials,  —  No.  9  needle,  No.  80  thread,  scissors,  pins, 
and  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth,  five  inches  square  ;  for  the 
patch,  a  piece  of  cloth  four  inches  square. 

Hemming  on  a  patch.  —  i .  Crease  the  garment,  repre- 
sented by  the  large  piece  of  cloth,  through,  and  across  the 
centre  (Fig.  74). 

2.  Mark  the  centre  by  a  pin-hole,  and  half-an-inch  from 
the  centre  on  each  crease,  make  a  pin-hole. 

3.  Crease  a  square  on  a  line  with  the  holes,  and  by  a 
thread  (Fig.  74,  a,  b,  c,  and  d). 

4.  Cut  out  the  square  on  the  creasing,  being  careful 
about  the  corners. 


PATCHING. 


101 


5.  Cut  diagonally  one-fourth  of  an  inch  at  each  corner 
(Fig.  74,  /,  2,3,  and^). 

6.  Fold  and  crease  each  edge  of  the  hole,  by  a  thread, 
and  baste. 

7.  Cut  off  each  corner  of  the  patch  one-fourth   of  an 
inch  deep. 


Fig.  74.  —  Showing  the  large  piece  of  cloth  with  the  dotted  lines 
representing  where  it  is  creased,  and  the  plain  lines  where  it  should  be 
cut. 

8.  Holding  the  right  side  of  the  patch  towards  you,  fold 
towards  you,  and  crease,  by  a  thread,  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
deep,  on  all  four  sides. 

9.  Crease  through,  and  across  the  centre  of  the  patch. 


102 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


I  o.    Place  the  garment  on  the  desk,  with  the  wrong  side 
upwards. 

1 1 .  Place  the  folded  edges  of  the  patch  upon  the  gar- 
ment, witJi  the  warp  of  the  two  pieces  parallel. 

12.  Match  the  creases,  and  put  in  pins. 


A 


Fig.  75.  —  Showing  the  right  side  of  a  figured-calico  patch,  hemmed. 

13.  With  each  edge  of  the  patch  even  with  a  thread  of 
the  garment,  baste  ;  turning  the  corners  neatly,  by  tucking 
the  extra  fold  underneath  with  the  point  of  the  needle. 

14.  Turn  the  other  side  towards  you,  and  pin  the  edges 
of  the  hole  down  at  each  corner. 

15.  Baste,  keeping  each  edge  on  a  thread  of  the  patch. 


PATCHING. 


103 


1 6.  Hem  the  garment  to  the  patch,  being  careful  to 
firmly  sew  the  corners,  keeping  them  at  right  angles. 

17.  On  the  other  side,  hem  the  patch  to  the  garment, 
allowing  the  stitches  to  appear  as  little  as  possible  on  the 


right  side. 


Pig.  75.  —  Showing  the  right  side  of  a  figured -calico  patch,  over  handed, 

1 8.    Take   out  the  basting  threads,   and  press   on   the 
wrong  side. 

OVERHANDING    ON    A    PATCH. 

Materials.  —  Same  as  before,  with  the  cloth  for  the  patch 
three  inches  square. 

Overhanding  on  a  patch.  —  i .  Crease  the  garment,  repre- 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


sented  by  the  large  piece  of  cloth,  through,  and  across  the 
centre  (Fig.  74). 

2.  Cut  a  small  piece  out  of  the  centre,  to  aid  later  in 
cutting  the  hole. 

3.  Cut  across  each  corner  of  the  patch  one-fourth  of  an 
inch  deep. 


Fig.  77.  —  Showing  the  wrong  side  of  a  figured -calico  patch,  overhanded. 

4.  Holding  the  wrong  side  of  the  patch  towards  you, 
make  a  crease,  by  a  thread,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  deep,  on 
the  four  sides. 

5.  Crease  through,  and  across  the  centre  of  the  patch. 

6.  Place  the  garment  on  the  desk,  with  the  right  side 
upwards. 


PATCHING.  IO5 

7.  Place  the  folded  edges  of  the  patch  upon  the  gar- 
ment, with  the  warp  of  the  two  pieces  parallel. 

8.  Match  the  creases,  and  put  in  pins. 

9.  With  the  edges  of  the  patch  even  with  the  threads  of 
the  garment,  baste  ;  turning  the  corners  neatly,  by  tuck- 
ing in  the  extra  fold  underneath. 

10.  Holding  the  patch  towards  you,  fold  and  crease  the 
garment  even  with  one  edge  of  the  patch. 

1 1 .  Holding  the  two  edges  securely,  overhand  them, 
sewing  the  corners  firmly. 

12.  Fold  and  overhand  the  next  side  in  the  same  man- 
ner, and   so  continue,  till   all  the  sides   are   overhanded 
(Fig.   76). 

13.  Take  out  the  basting  threads. 

14.  Turn  the  wrong  side  towards  you,  and  carefully  cut 
a  hole  in  the  garment,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  inside  the 
overhanding  stitches. 

15.  At  each  corner,  cut  diagonally  to  the  overhanding 
stitches. 

1 6.  Open  the  seam  and  overcast  all  the  edges  (Fig.  77), 
or  work  them  with  the  blanket-stitch. 

17.  Dampen  the  seams,  and  press  on  the  wrong  side. 

CATCH-STITCHING  ON  A  FLANNEL  PATCH. 

Materials.  —  No.  9  needle,  fine  silk  to  match  the  flannel, 
pins,  and  a  piece  of  flannel  five  inches  square  ;  for  the 
patch,  a  piece  of  flannel  three  inches  and  a  half  square. 

Catch-stitching  on  a  patch.  —  i .  Crease  the  garment, 
represented  by  the  large  piece  of  flannel,  through,  and 
across  the  centre  (Fig.  74). 

2.  Mark  the  centre  by  inserting  a  pin  ;  and  one  inch 
from  the  middle  of  each  crease,  insert  a  pin. 


io6 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


3.  Crease  a  square,  by  a  thread,  on  a  line  with  the  pins. 

4.  Cut  the  square  out  on  the  creasing,  being  careful  in 
cutting  the  corners. 

5.  Crease  through,  and  across  the  centre  of  the  patch. 

6.  Place  the  garment  on  the  desk,  with  the  wrong  side 
upwards. 


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Fig.  78.  —  Showing  the  right  side  of  the  patch;  the  straight  lines  repre- 
sent the  edges  of  the  hole. 

7.  Place  the  right  side  of  the  patch  upon  the  garment, 
with  the  nap  of  the  two  pieces  running  the  same  way. 

8.  Match  the  creases,  and  put  in  pins. 

9.  With  each  edge  of  the  patch  even  with  a  thread  of 
the  garment,  baste  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  edge. 


PATCHING. 


ID/ 


10.  Holding  the  garment  towards  you,  baste  one-fourth 
of  an  inch  from  the  edge  of  the  hole. 

11.  Draw  the  needle  through  the  garment  from  under- 
neath, one-eighth  of  an  inch  from  the  raw  edge. 

12.  Catch-stitch  (see  page  1 1 7)  around  the  square,  taking 
the  inner  stitches  through  the  patch,  close  to  the  edge  of 


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Fig.  79.  —  Showing  the  wrong  side  of  the  patch  ;   the  straight  lines 
represent  the  edges  of  the  patch. 

the  garment  ;  and  the  outside  stitches  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  from  the  edge,  and  through  both  thicknesses  of  cloth 
(Fig.  78). 

13.  Turning  the  wrong  side  towards  you,  catch-stitch  in 
the  same  manner,  the  edges  of  the  patch  to  the  garment 
(Fig.  79)- 


IO8  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

14.  Take  out  the  basting  threads,  and  press  on  the 
wrong  side. 

Suggestions.  —  In  practical  mending,  judgment  and  con- 
sideration are  necessary,  and  the  material  should  be  treated 
as  common  sense  suggests  ;  the  object  is  to  replace  the 
torn  or  worn  part  with  as  little  display  as  possible. 

A  patch  can  be  put  on  in  various  ways  :  as,  hemming 
on  the  right  side  and  overcasting  the  raw  edges  together 
on  the  wrong  side  ;  it  can  also  be  put  on  by  stitching. 
A  patch  can  be  overhanded  on  the  wrong  side,  so  that  the 
stitches  may  show  less,  but  the  corners  are  not  easily 
turned.  Catch-stitching  should  be  used,  when  the  material 
does  not  easily  ravel,  as  on  flannel.  Thin,  woollen  materials 
can  be  hemmed.  When  a  material  is  worn,  it  is  better  to 
hem  the  patch  on,  for,  if  it  is  overhanded,  the  strain  comes 
on  one  thread  at  each  side. 

Stripes,  checks  and  figures  should  always  match,  as 
otherwise  they  attract  attention.  Care  must  be  taken  to 
have  the  warp  and  the  woof  of  the  patch  run  the  same  way 
as  those  of  the  garment,  the  straightest  threads  of  the 
cloth  generally  represent  the  warp.  The  nap  must  also 
run  in  the  same  direction,  which  can  be  ascertained  by 
passing  the  hand  lightly  over  it.  A  patch  ca?^  be  either 
square  or  oblong,  according  to  the  shape  of  the  damaged 
part,  but  should  be  large  enough  to  cover  the  worn  place. 
Fine  thread  or  silk,  matching  the  material,  should  be  used  ; 
silk  should  be  chosen  a  shade  darker  than  the  material,  as 
it  will  work  lighter. 

What  is  a  patch  ?  What  is  its  use  ?  In  hemming  on  a  patch,  on  which  side  of 
the  garment  should  the  patch  be  placed  ?  On  which  side,  in  overhanding  on  a  patch  ? 
How  should  the  wrong  side  of  an  overhanded  patch  be  finished  ?  What  stitch  is  used 
in  patching  flannel  ?  Which  side  of  the  garment  is  the  patch  placed  upon  ?  What  is 
the  object  of  patching  ?  What  care  should  be  taken  concerning  the  warp  and  the  woof  ? 


BIAS    PIECING. 


IO9 


BIAS    PIECING. 

Bias  piecing  is  the  joining  of  two  diagonal  edges  of 
cloth. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  pins,  scissors, 
and  a  piece  of  calico  five  inches  square,  cut  by  a  thread. 


Fig,  80.  —  Showing  the  strips  placed  in  a  line  before  joining. 

Bias  piecing.  —  I .    Fold    the     square    diagonally,    from 
corner  to  corner. 

2.  Crease  the  fold,  and  cut  on  the  crease. 

3.  From  each  piece  of  calico,  cut  two  bias  strips,  each 
being  one  inch  wide. 

4.  With  the  right  sides  upwards,  place  the  strips  on  the 
desk  in  a  line  for  joining,  as  in  Fig.  80. 


Fig.  81 .  —  Showing  the  two  edges  sewed. 

5.  Place  the  right  sides  of  the  two  middle  pieces 
together,  with  the  edges  of  the  ends  that  are  to  meet 
even, 

6  Move  the  edge  of  the  upper  piece,  one-fourth  of  an 
inch  to  the  left  (Fig.  81). 


I  IO  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

7.  Holding  the  edges  securely,  insert  the  needle  at  a 
(Fig.   81)  and  sew  across  to  b  (Fig.  81),  with  a  running 
and  a  backstitch. 

8.  Press  open  the  seam,  and  cut  off  the  corners  that 
protrude. 

9.  Join    the    other    two    pieces    in  a   similar    manner, 
except  that  the  upper  edge  must  be  moved  to  the  right. 

Suggestions.  —  To  join  the  ends  evenly,  the  seam  must 
be  begun  at  the  vertex  of  one  of  the  angles,  formed  at 
the  side  by  the  two  pieces  of  cloth,  and  finished  at  the 
other.  When  many  bias  strips  are  required,  they  can  be 
easily  and  accurately  cut,  by  measuring  for  four  widths, 
and  then  cutting  into  halves  and  quarters. 

What  is  bias  piecing  ?     Where  should  you  begin  so  as  to  join  the  ends  evenly  ? 
Where  finish  ? 


PIPING. 

Piping  is  a  cord  covered  with  material  cut  on  the  bias, 
and  is  used  to  strengthen  and  finish  the  edge  of  a 
garment. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  'No.  60  thread,  a  small  cord 
eleven  and  a  half  inches  long,  a  bias  strip  of  cotton  cloth 
twelve  inches  long  and  one  inch  wide  and  a  piece  of 
cotton'  cloth  eleven  and  a  half  inches  long,  four  inches 
wide,  hemmed  at  the  ends  and  one  side. 

Piping.  —  i .  Place  the  cord  on  the  wrong  side  of  the 
bias  strip,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  lengthwise 
edge,  and  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  end. 

2.  Fold  the  end  of  the  bias  strip,  and  then  folding  the 
edge  over,  baste  close  to  the  cord. 


CORNERS    MITRED. 


II 


3.  Holding  the  cord  downwards,  place  the  wrong  side  of 
the  strip  to  the  right  side  of  the  piece  of  cloth,  with  the 
raw  edge  of  the  fold  even  with  the  raw  edge  of  the  cloth. 

4.  Sew  the  piping  to  the  edge,  with  a  running  and  a 
backstitch,  keeping  close  to  the  cord. 

5.  Turn  to  the  wrong  side,  and  hem  the  opposite  edge 
down . 

What  is  piping?     For  what  is  it  used? 


CORNERS    MITRED. 

To  mitre  a  corner  is  to  join  two  edges  of  cloth,  so  that 
they  form  a  right  angle. 

To  MITRE  Two  STRIPS  OF  CLOTH. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  scissors,  and 
a  piece  of  calico  five  inches  square,  cut  by  a  thread. 

To  mitre  two  strips  of  cloth.  —  i .   Fold  and 
crease  the  square  diagonally  from  corner  to 

corner. 

2.    Cut     on    the 
crease. 

3.    From  one  of 

the  pieces  cut  two 
bias     strips,     each 
strip  being  one  inch   Fig.  82.  —  Show- 
wide.  in£    the   two 

ends  basted. 
4.     Place     the 

right  sides  of  the  strips  of  calico 
Fig.  83. -Showingthe  right  together,  so  that  the  two  ends  are 

side  of  a  mitred  corner.        exactly  even   (Fig.  82). 


112 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


5.  Holding  the  ends  even,  half-backstitch,  by  a  thread, 
one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  edge  (Fig.  82). 

6.  Press  the  seam  open,  and  trim  the  corners  (Fig.  83). 

To    MITRE    THE    CORNERS    OF    A    HEM. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  60  thread,  pins,  scissors, 
and  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth  five  inches  square,  cut  by  a 
thread. 


Fig.  84.  —  Showing  the  corner  creased          Fig.  85.  —  Showingthe  corner 
for  cutting.  and  hems  basted. 

To  mitre  the  corner  of  a  hem.  —  i .   Cut  off  me  corner, 
one-fourth  of  an  inch  deep. 

2.  Fold,  one-fourth  of  an  inch,  the  two  sides  which  are 
at  right  angles  with  this  corner,  and  crease  by  a  thread. 

3.  On  each  side  make  a  crease,  by  a  thread,  one  inch 
from  the  edge  of  the  fold  (Fig.  84),  for  a  hem. 

4.  Make  a  pin-hole  where  the  creases  meet  (Fig.  84,  a). 

5.  Open   all    the    folds,   and   make   a   diagonal   crease 
across  the  corner,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  outside  the  pin- 
hole  (Fig.  84). 


LOOPS    OF    TAPE.  113 

6.  Cut  on  the  crease. 

7.  Holding  the  bias  edge  of   the  cloth,   at  the  upper 
left-hand  side,  fold  and  baste,  by  a  thread,  the  upper  hem. 

8.  Fold  and  crease  the  bias  edge  one-fourth  of  an  inch. 

9.  Fold  the  hem  at  the  side,  making  the  edges  of  the 
two  hems  meet  at  a  right  angle  (Fig.  85). 

10.  Baste  the  corner  fold  and  side  hem. 

11.  Hem  the  folds  down,  taking  the  stitches  at    the 
corner  fold  through  only  one  thickness  of  cloth. 

What  is  mitreing  a  corner  ?     How  are  the  strips  placed  together  ?     How  should 
the  edges  of  the  two  hems  meet  ? 


LOOPS    OF   TAPE. 

Fold  the  middle  of  the  tape  so  as  to 
form  a  point,  as  in  Fig.  86.  Overhand 
the  inner  edges  for  three-fourths  of  an 
inch,  beginning  at  the  ends.  Fold  the 
ends  under,  one-fourth  of  an  inch,  and 
place  them  on  the  wrong  side  of  the 
cloth,  one-half  an  inch  from  the  edge. 
Baste  and  hem  them  down  on  three 
sides.  Turn  to  the  right  side,  and  stitch  Fig  86  _  Showing  a 


the  edge  of  the  cloth  to  the  loop. 


loop  of  tape. 


PART    III. 


ORNAMENTAL    STITCHES. 


HEM-STITCH. 

Hem-stitching  is  a  method  of  hemming,  in  which  the 
threads  of  the  cloth  are  drawn  and  separated. 

Materials.  —  No.  8  needle,  No.  50  thread,  and  a  length- 
wise strip  of  linen  crash. 

Hem-stitch,  from  right  to  left.  —  i .  One  inch  from  a 
lengthwise  edge  of  the 
cloth,  draw  out  from 
four  to  six  threads  (see 
suggestions)  according 
to  the  coarseness  of  the 
cloth. 

2.  Carefully  baste  the 
hem  to  the  line  thus 
drawn. 


.  87.  -Showing  hem-stitching  done 
from  right  to  left,  needle  in  position. 


3.  Begin  at  the  right-hand  side,  as  for  hemming. 

4.  Pointing  the  needle  towards  you,  take  up  three  or 
four  cross-threads,  and  draw  the  thread  through. 

5.  Put  the  needle  back,  take  up  the  same  threads,  and 
insert  the  needle  exactly  above  in  the  fold  of  the  hem 
(Fig.  87). 


i6 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


6.    Continue  in  the  same  manner,  drawing  the  thread 
tight,  to  separate  the  cross-threads. 

Hem-stitch,  from  left  to  right.  —  i .    Draw  the  threads, 

and    baste   the   hem  as 

before. 

2.  Fasten  the  thread 
in  the  hem,  at  the  left- 
hand  side. 

3.  Pointing  the  needle 
towards    you,    take    up 


Fig.  88.  —  Showing  hem-stitching  done 
from  left  to  right,  needle  in  position. 


four     cross- 


three     or 
threads. 

4.  Draw  the  needle  through,  and  insert  it  in  the  fold  of 
the  hem  exactly  above   where  it  was  inserted  under  the 
cross-threads  (Fig.  88). 

5.  Continue  in  the  same  manner,  drawing  the  thread 
tight. 

Suggestions.  —  To  draw  the  threads,  choose  a  coarse 
thread,  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  the  edge,  and  pick  it 
out  with  the  point  of  the  needle.  Holding  this  end  with 
the  right  hand,  draw  it  out  carefully,  continually  pushing 
the  gathers  towards  the  opposite  end  with  the  left  hand. 
Should  the  thread  break,  hold  the  cloth  to  the  light,  and 
again  pick  out  the  end  of  the  thread.  The  chief  difficulty 
is  in  drawing  the  first  thread.  Threads  can  be  drawn  any 
width  desired. 

Hem-stitching  can  be  done  either  lengthwise  or  cross- 
wise of  the  cloth.  On  fine  materials,  do  not  courit  the 
threads,  as  it  is  too  great  a  strain  on  the  eyes,  and  for 
this  reason,  school-girls  should  not  do  much  drawn-work. 


CATCH-STITCH. 


117 


CATCH    OR    HERRINGBONE-STITCH. 

Catch-stitch  is  a  kind  of  cross-stitch,  used  to  secure  the 
edges  of  flannel. 

Materials.  —  A  long-eyed  needle,  a  knot  of  split  zephyr, 
and  a  piece  of  canvas. 


Fig.     89.  —  Showing    catch-       Fig.    90.  —  Showing    a    corner    turned, 
stitches,  and  the  needle  in  and  the  needle  in  position  for  turning 

position  ;  the  straight  lines  a  corner, 

represent    the    threads    of 
the  canvas. 

Catch-stitch,  —  i .  Work  from  you,   holding  the  canvas 
over  the  left  forefinger. 

2.  Insert   the  needle   from   underneath,    at   the   lower 
left-hand  corner. 

3.  From  the  place  where  the  zephyr  comes  out,  count 
to    the    right  four    threads,  then  forward  four    threads  ; 


I  I  8  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

insert  the  needle,  and  pointing  it  towards  you    take  up 
two  threads. 

4.  From  the  place  where  the  zephyr  comes  out,  count 
to  the  left  four  threads,   then  forward  four  threads,  and 
take  up  two  threads  as  before. 

5.  Continue  in  the  same  manner,  making  the  stitches 
to  the  right,  then  to  the  left  ;  the  zephyr  crossing  diago- 
nally (Fig.  89). 

6.  Notice    that    the    little    cross    at    one    side,   comes 
between  the  crosses  on  the  opposite  side,  and  that  the 
needle  comes  out  on  a  line  with  its  insertion  for  the  pre- 
vious stitch. 

7.  Turn   the   corner,    by    taking  a  stitch  at    the    left, 
insert  the  needle  at  the  right,  and  pointing  it  towards  the 
left,  take  up  two  threads  (Fig.  90).    Turn  the  canvas,  and 
holding  the  next  side  across  the  left  forefinger,   continue 
as  before  (Fig.  90). 

Suggestions.  —  In  catch-stitching  on  flannel,  small  knots 
may  be  made  if  they  can  be  concealed.  When  ending, 
fasten  the  thread  by  running  it  in  and  out  under  the  last 
stitch.  The  thread  can  be  fastened  in  beginning  and 
finishing,  by  leaving  an  end  to  be  sewed  over  and  over 
with  fine  cotton  on  the  wrong  side. 

The  raw  edge  of  a  hem  on  woollen  material  may  be 
fastened  by  catch-stitches,  to  avoid  the  ridge  formed  by 
folding  the  edge.  The  edges  of  a  seam  in  flannel  may  be 
fastened  in  several  ways  ;  the  seam  may  be  folded  to  one 
side,  and  the  edges  fastened  by  a  row  of  catch-stitches  ; 
the  seam  may  be  opened  and  each  edge  fastened  sepa- 
rately ;  or,  with  the  seam  opened,  a  row  of  catch-stitches 
may  be  put  in  thenniddle. 


FEATHER-STITCH. 


FEATHER-STITCH. 


Feather-stitching  is  used  for  ornamenting  garments,  etc. 
Materials.  —  A  long-eyed  needle,  a  knot  of  split  zephyr, 
and  a  piece  of  canvas. 


Pig.  91. — a>  Showing  single  feather-stitches,  taken  on  a  line  with  the 
threads  of  the  cloth  ;  b,  showing  double  feather-stitches,  taken  on 
a  line  with  the  threads  of  the  cloth;  c,  showing  single  feather- 
stitches, taken  slanting  across  the  threads  of  the  cloth  ;  d,  showing 
double  feather-stitches,  taken  slanting  across  the  threads  of  the 
cloth  ;  e,  showing  treble  feather-stitches,  taken  slanting  across  the 
threads  of  the  cloth. 


holding 


the 


Feather-stitch.  —  i .    Work    towards    you, 
canvas  over  the  left  forefinger. 

2.  Draw  the  needle  through  from  underneath  at  the 
upper  left-hand  corner  (Fig.  91,  b}. 

3.  From  the  place  where  the  zephyr  comes  out,  count 
two  threads  to  the  right,  insert  the  needle,  and  pointing 
it  towards  you  take  up  two  threads  of  the  canvas. 


I2O 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


4.  Draw  the  needle  out  over  the  zephyr,  which  is  held 
down  by  the  thumb. 

5.  From  the  place  where  the  zephyr  comes  out,  count 
two  threads  to  the  right,  and  take  a  stitch  as  before. 

6.  From  the  place  where  the  zephyr  comes  out,  count 
two  threads  to  the  left,  and  take  a  stitch,  being  careful  to 
hold  the  zephyr  down  with  the  thumb. 

7.  From  the  place  where  the  zephyr  comes  out,  count 
two  threads  to  the  left,  and  take  another  stitch. 

8.  Continue  taking  the  stitches  in  this  way  (Fig.  91,  b). 

Suggestions,  -  -  For  fastening  the  thread  see  catch- 
stitching  (page  1 1 8).  This  stitch  may  be  changed  into 
various  designs,  as  in  Fig.  91.  Whatever  the  pattern, 
the  stitches  should  be  compact  and  uniform. 


Fig.   92. 

chain 

needle 


CHAIN-STITCH. 

Chain-stitching  is  a  method  of  em- 
broidering, by  which  the  stitches 
resemble  a  chain. 

Materials.  —  An  embroidery  needle, 
embroidery  silk,  and  a  strip  of  cloth. 

Chain-stitch.  —  i .  Work  towards  you, 
holding  the  cloth  over  the  left  fore- 
finger. 

2.  Draw    the  needle    through    from 
underneath  at  the   upper  end,   a  short 
distance  from  the  edge. 

3.  Holding    the    thread   to   the   left 
-  Showing   with  the  thumb,  insert  the  needle  where 

-stitches, 

in  position,      the    thread    comes    out,    and    bring    it 


KENSINGTON    OUTLINE-STITCH. 


21 


through  one-eighth  of  an  inch  below,  and  over  the 
thread  to  form  the  loop. 

4.  Continue  in  this  manner,  always  inserting  the 
needle  inside  the  loop  of  the  last  stitch,  and  being  careful 
to  take  the  same  number  of  threads  on  the  needle  for 
each  stitch. 

Suggestion.  —  Chain-stitching  is  often  used  for  outlining 
a  pattern. 


KENSINGTON    OUTLINE-STITCH. 

Kensington  outline-stitching  is  done  by  taking  a  long 
stitch  forward  on  the  upper  side,  and  a  short  stitch  back- 
ward on  the  under-side  of  the  cloth,  and  is  used  to  form  a 
line  for  ornament. 

Materials. — An  embroidery  needle, 
embroidery  silk,  and  a  strip  of 
cloth. 

Kensington  outline-stitch. — i .  Work 
from  you,  holding  the  cloth  over  the 
left  forefinger. 

2.  Draw  the  needle  through  from 
underneath,  at  the  lower  end. 

3.  Insert  the  needle  one-eighth  of 
an    inch    above,    and    two    or    three 
threads  to  the  right,  bringing  it  out 
at  the  left  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch 
above   the    place   where   the    thread 
comes  through  the  cloth  (Fig.  93). 

4.  Continue  in  this  way,  keeping  the  thread  to  the  right 
of  the  needle,  and  being  careful  not  to  draw  the  stitches 
tight. 


Fig.  93,  —  Showing  Ken- 
sington outline-stitches, 
needle  in  position. 


122  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

Suggestions.  —  Some  prefer  keeping  the  thread  to  the 
left  of  the  needle.  Stem-stitching  is  similar  to  outline- 
stitching,  except  that  the  needle  is  put  farther  back. 


BLANKET-STITCH. 

Blanket-stitching  is  used  to  secure  and  ornament  the 
edges  of  woollen  material. 

Materials.  —  An    embroidery  needle,    embroidery    silk, 
and  a  strip  of  flannel. 

Blanket-stitch.  —  i .   Work  from    left  to   right,    holding 

the  edge  of  the  flannel  towards 
you. 

2.  Beginning  at  the  corner, 
insert  the  needle  one-fourth  of 
an  inch  from  each  edge,  and 

Fig.  94.  — Showing    \  I  /       take  two   running   stitches  to 
blanket  -  stitches,       NK         the  edge,    leaving  an   end    of 

the  thread  to  be  cut  off  after- 
wards.     This  brings  the  thread  in  position  for  working. 

3.  Holding  the  thread  under  the  left  thumb,  put  the 
needle  in  where  it  was  first  inserted. 

4.  Draw    the    needle    through    and    over    the    thread 

(Fig-  94)- 

5.  Holding  the  thread  down  with  the  thumb,  insert  the 

needle  one-fourth  of  an  inch  to  the  right,  and  parallel  with 
the  previous  stitch. 

6.  Draw    the    needle    through,   and    over    the    thread, 
being  careful  that  the  thread  lies  loosely  on  the  edge  of 
the  flannel. 


BLANKET-STITCH. 


I23 


7.  Continue  in  this  manner. 

8.  To  fasten  the  thread,  turn  to  the  wrong  side,  take  a 
running  stitch  under  the  last  blanket-stitch.      Draw  the 
thread  through,  and  cut  it  off. 


Fig.  95.  —  Showing  blanket-stitches  taken  in  different  forms. 

9.  To  join  the  thread,  put  the  needle  in  under  the  last 
stitch,  as  in  beginning  the  work,  and  draw  it  out  over  the 
thread  that  lies  along  the  edge. 

Suggestions. —  If  the 
thread  is  not  fastened 
and  joined  carefully, 
the  symmetry  of  the 
stitches  will  be  broken. 
The  order  of  the 

stitches  may  be  varied    . 

Fig.  96.  —  Showing  a  bor- 

by  taking  them  at  dif-       der  of    blanket-stitches, 
ferent    depths,   and       needle  in  position. 
leaving  spaces  between,  as  in  Fig.  95. 

A  pretty  border  can  be  made  with  this  stitch  (Fig.  96), 
by  making  the  first  row  the  desired  width  from  the  edge, 
and  taking  the  stitches  for  the  second  row  through  those 
of  the  first  row,  and  so  on. 


124 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


EMBROIDERY    KNOTS. 

Embroidery  knots  are  used  for  ornamentation. 
Materials,  —  An    embroidery    needle,   embroidery   silk, 
and  a  piece  of  flannel. 

Embroidery  knot  No.  1.  —  i.  Holding 
the  flannel  over  the  left  forefinger, 
draw  the  needle  through  from  under- 
neath, at  the  place  desired  for  the 
knot. 

2.  Take  a  small  backstitch  leaving 
the  needle  half-way  through  the  flannel. 

3.  Take    the    ,-  _  ^==^==f 
silk,    where    it 

comes  through  the 
flannel,  and  wind 

M      *  twice  around  the 

broidery    knot   No.  I  , 

and     the     needle    in    needle  (Fig.  97). 

P°sition-  4.    Holding  the 

coil  under  the  left  thumb,  draw  the 
needle  through  and  insert  it  where 
it  came  through  the  flannel,  bringing 
it  out  where  the  next  knot  is  to  be 


Fig.  98.  —  Showing  em- 
broidery   knot    No.    2, 

Embroidery  knot  No.  2.  —  i.  Holding     and    the     needle    in 
the    flannel    over   the   left  forefinger,     Position. 
draw  the  needle  through  from  underneath,  at  the  place 
desired  for  the  knot. 

2.  Draw  the  silk  towards  you  to  the  left  ;  holding  it 
under  the  thumb,  bring  the  silk  to  the  right,  and  cross 
below  where  the  silk  came  out  of  the  flannel  (Fig.  98,  a). 
Hold  the  loop  thus  formed  under  the  thumb. 


MARKING.  125 

3.  Insert    the    needle  one  or  two  threads   back  of  a, 
bring  it  out  at  a,  and  pass  it  through  the  loop  (Fig.  98). 

4.  Draw  the  needle  and  silk  out  straight  upwards. 

5.  Insert  the  needle  again  at  a,  and  bring  it  out  where 
the  next  knot  is  to  be  made. 


MARKING. 

Page  126  consists  of  capital  letters  ;  page  127  consists 
of  small  letters  and  upright  numerals  ;  page  128  consists 
of  small  letters,  suitable  for  fine  material,  and  slanting 
numerals. 

The  material,  thread  and  needle  should  correspond. 
The  marking  stitch  consists  of  a  cross-stitch  taken  over 
two  threads  of  the  canvas.  To  make  the  stitch,  draw  the 
needle  through  from  underneath  at  the  lower  rig/it-hand 
corner  of  the  square  for  the  stitch  ;  insert  the  needle  at 
the  upper  /eft-hand  corner,  bringing  it  out  at  the  lozver 
/eft-hand  corner  ;  insert  the  needle  at  the  2ipper  rig/it-hand 
corner,  and  bring  it  out  at  the  lower  rig/it-hand  corner  of 
the  next  stitch. 

Make  no  "knots,  but  leave  an  end  of  the  thread  to  be 
worked  over  with  the  first  stitches,  or  it  can  afterwards 
be  run  in  and  out  under  the  letter.  Fasten  the  thread  in 
the  same  manner.  The  stitches  should  all  be  crossed  the 
same  way  ;  the  thread  should  be  fastened  after  finishing 
a  letter,  not  carried  from  one  to  another.  Have  the  back 
of  the  work  look  neat. 

When  marking  on  canvas  is  understood,  fine  material 
can  be  easily  marked,  by  basting  a  piece  of  scrim  over  the 
place  to  be  worked,  and,  after  taking  the  stitches,  draw- 
ing out  the  threads  of  the  scrim. 


||     !      :::::§; 


126 


127 


PART    IV. 


DRAFTING,    CUTTING,    AND    MAKING 
GARMENTS. 

A  few  general  directions  for  the  cutting  of  garments 
are  here  given. 

A  table  or  lap-board,  large  enough  to  lay  the  entire 
pattern  upon,  is  required  ;  also  paper,  sharp  shears, 
weights,  pins,  tape-measure,  needles,  and  thread. 

The  first  thing  to  be  observed  in  cutting  is  whether  the 
cloth  has  a  right  and  a  wrong  side.  If  it  has  a  design, 
consider  the  heavier  part  as  the  bottom  ;  a  vine  should 
run  upwards  ;  the  nap  on  the  cloth  should  run  down- 
wards. 

Before  cutting,  ascertain  if  there  is  sufficient  cloth  by 
laying  the  different  parts  of  the  pattern  upon  the  cloth  in 
such  positions,  that  the  cloth  will  not  be  unnecessarily 
wasted  ;  being  careful  in  regard  to  the  up  and  down  of 
the  cloth.  When  there  is  a  scarcity  of  material,  the 
underneath  parts  of  the  sleeves  may  be  pieced,  hems  may 
be  faced,  and  the  small  pieces  may  often  be  used  for  the 
trimmings. 

The  length  of  the  main  parts  of  a  garment  (as  back, 
front,  and  sleeves)  should  be  cut  parallel  to  the  selvedge 
or  warp  of  the  cloth.  Fig.  102  represents  a  wrapper 
placed  on  cloth,  which  is  folded  lengthwise  through  the 

129 


130 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


middle;  the  edge  of  the  front  is  placed  on  the  selvedge,  and 

the  back  on  the  fold  of  the 
cloth,  to  avoid  a  seam  at  the 
back  of  the  skirt.  The  ver- 
tical perforations  in  the  side- 
back  and  both  portions  of  the 
sleeve  are  placed  lengthwise 
of  the  cloth.  The  perfora- 
tions near  the  edges  of  the 
patterns  show  the  seams, 
where  alterations  should  be 
made.  The  perforations  near 
the  centre  of  the  front  indi- 
cate where  the  darts  should 
be  taken  up. 

In  cutting  plain  goods,  two 
similar  parts  can  be  cut  at 
once  by  folding  either  the 
right  or  the  wrong  sides  to- 
gether ;  the  selvedges  or  edges 
of  the  material  should  first  be 
pinned  together  to  prevent 
slipping.  When  the  cloth  can 
not  be  doubled,  great  care 
must  be  taken  not  to  cut 
similar  parts  (as  sleeves)  for 
the  same  side  ;  this  can  al- 
ways be  avoided  by  laying 
one  part  upon  the  material, 
with  either  the  right  or 
wrong  sides  together. 
Fig.  102.  — Wrapper.  Having  the  cloth  spread 


DRAFTING,    ETC.,     GARMENTS.  13! 

out  evenly,  place  a  weight  or  insert  a  pin  at  the  middle 
of  each  part  of  the  pattern.  Smoothing  out  each  part 
from  the  middle,  pin  it  to  the  cloth,  being  careful  to  place 
pins  closely  at  the  middle  of  the  darts,  at  the  curves,  and 
one  at  each  corner  of  the  pattern.  Cut  evenly  and  close  to 
the  edge  of  the  pattern,  and  be  very  particular  at  the  curves. 

Linings  should  be  cut  and  basted  carefully  on  to  the 
wrong  side  of  the  cloth,  before  cutting  the  cloth.  The 
notches  on  the  edges  of  the  pattern  should  only  be  cut  in 
the  lining. 

In  cutting  linings  or  unlined  garments,  the  marks  for 
the  seams  may  be  made  by  a  tracing-wheel,  or  they  may 
be  pricked  with  a  large  needle.  Where  there  are  perfora- 
tions, a  pencil  or  chalk  may  be  used.  When  two  parts  of 
a  garment  are  cut  at  once,  especially  on  woollen  materials, 
the  following  tailor's  method  of  marking  the  perforations 
may  be  used,  —  pin  the  pattern  securely  through  both 
thicknesses  of  cloth.  With  a  coarse,  doubled  thread  take 
the  first  stitch  in  the  centre  of  the  perforation  and  through 
both  thicknesses  of  cloth  ;  take  another  stitch  in  the  same 
place,  and,  in  drawing  the  thread  through,  leave  a  loop  the 
size  of  a  pencil.  At  the  next  perforation  make  a  similar 
stitch,  leaving  the  thread  loose  between  the  perforations, 
and  so  continue,  until  all  the  perforations  are  marked. 
Then  cut  out  the  parts,  separate  the  two  edges  of  cloth, 
as  far  as  the  thread  will  permit,  and  carefully  cut  the 
threads  midway  between  the  two  edges.  Cut  the  long 
stitch  on  the  upper  side,  in  the  middle,  and  remove  the 
paper  pattern.  The  threads  left  in  the  cloth  serve  as  a 
guide  for  basting. 

Matching.  —  A  plaided,  striped,  or  figured  cloth  requires 
great  care  in  cutting.  If  the  breadths  of  a  skirt  made 


132  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

from  a  checked  or  evenly  plaided  material  are  cut  off  in 
the  middle  of  a  check,  the  breadths  will  readily  match. 
In  other  plaids  or  designs,  cut  the  lower  edge  of  each 
breadth  on  the  same  line  of  the  plaid  or  design.  In  cut- 
ting a  garment,  similar  to  a  dress-waist,  which  opens  in 
front,  first  decide  what  part  of  the  plaid,  stripe,  or  design 
will  look  best  for  the  middle  of  the  front  and  back.  Then 
lay  the  pattern  for  the  front  on  the  cloth,  so  that  the 
outer  fold  of  the  hem  is  one-eighth  of  an  inch  (or  one-half 
of  the  width  to  be  lapped)  beyond  the  middle  desired. 
Cut  this  side  out,  and  cut  the  other  half  of  the  front,  by 
laying  the  part  already  cut  on  the  cloth,  with  the  right 
sides  together,  and  plaids  or  designs  exactly  matching. 
Lay  the  pattern  for  the  back  on  the  cloth,  so  that  the 
back  edge  of  the  pattern  is  one-fourth  of  an  inch  beyond 
the  middle  desired  ;  this  allows  for  the  seam.  Cut  the 
other  half  of  the  back  as  in  cutting  the  second  half  of  the 
front. 

In  order  to  cut  twilled  material  on  the  bias,  with  the 
twill  perpendicular,  the  cloth  must  be  folded  at  right 
angles  to  the  twill.  To  do  this,  lay  the  cloth  lengthwise 
on  the  table,  with  the  right  side  downward,  fold  over  the 
lower  right-hand  corner,  and  cut  on  the  fold.  Linings  for 
broad  hems  or  a  curved  edge  (as  a  hat)  should  be  cut  on 
the  bias  (see  page  n). 

Cotton  cloth,  calico,  or  flannel  may  be  torn  (page  9), 
when  a  straight  edge  is  required  ;  linen  should  be  cut  by 
first  drawing  a  thread  (page  1 16). 

Drafting.  —  The  following  rules  for  drafting  are  given 
as  suitable  in  ordinary  cases,  but  the  drafter  should  use 
discretion  in  regard  to  personal  taste  and  prevailing 
styles. 


TWO-BREADTH    APRON.  133 

In  the  illustrations,  each  square  represents  an  inch. 
Dots  are  marked  by  letters,  lines  are  marked  by  numbers. 
Remember  that  the  dot  is  the  important  mark,  the  letter 
being  but  a  name  to  the  dot,  and  may  be  placed  in  any 
convenient  position  near  the  dot. 


TWO-BREADTH    APRON. 

A  two-breadth  %apron,  one  yard  long,  having  a  four  inch 
hem,  requires  two  and  one-fourth  yards  of  material. 

1 .  Find  half  of  the  length  of  the  material,  tear  across, 
or  fold  and  cut  on  the  fold. 

2.  Fold  the    lengthwise    edges  of    one  of    the    pieces 
together. 

3.  One  and  one-half  inches  each  side  of  the  fold,  tear 
the  entire  length,  or  fold  again  one  and  one-half  inches 
from  the  edge  of  the  fold  and  cut  both    thicknesses   of 
material  on  the  last  fold.      This  gives  a  strip  for  the  bind- 
ing and  the  two  side-breadths. 

Making-.  —  Sew  the  raw  edges  of  the  side-breadths  to 
the  front-breadth,  thus  avoiding  a  seam  in  the  middle.  If 
desired,  hem  the  sides.  Make  a  four  inch  hem  at  the 
lower  edge,  overhanding  the  ends  of  the  hem  before 
hemming.  Gather  the  upper  edge  and  put  it  into  the 
band,  being  very  careful  to  sew  securely  at  the  ends  of 
the  gathers,  as  this  is  where  a  strain  comes.  The  fulness 
of  the  gathers  depends  upon  the  width  of  the  material 
and  the  form  of  the  person.  Overhand  the  edges  of  the 
band  together  on  each  side  of  the  gathers.  If  strings 
are  desired,  they  should  be  cut  before  sewing  the  breadths 
together.  Make  a  narrow  hem  at  the  <\\fl**  pf  the 


134 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


strings,  and  a  broader  hem  at  the  lower  end.  Gather,  or 
lay  small  plaits,  at  the  other  end  of  the  strings  ;  insert  them 
in  the  ends  of  the  band,  and  hem  the  band  over  them. 


CHILD'S    BIB. 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  fifteen  inches  long  and  eleven 
inches  wide. 

1 .  With  the  long  side  of  the  paper  horizontally  in  front 
of  you,  write  your  name  and  school  at  the  upper  left-hand 
corner  of  the  paper. 

2.  Fold  the    lengthwise    edges    together,   so   that   the 
name  shows. 


Nan 

,e 

S 

chc 

ol 

_£f 

x"~ 

1 

~a 

Fold 

B 

Fig.    103.  — Child's   Bib. 

3.  With  the  folded  edge  towards  you,  make  a  dot  at 
the  right-hand  end  of  the  fold  ;  mark  it  A  (Fig.  103). 

4.  On  the  fold,  make  a  dot  three  inches  from  A  ;  mark 
it  B. 

5.  At  the  right-hand  end,  two  and  one-fourth  inches 
above  A,  make  a  dot  ;   mark  it  C. 

6.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  B  to  C. 

7.  Beyond  the  dash-line,  draw  a  curved  line  from  B  to 
C,  allowing  three-fourths  inch  curve  at  the  middle.     Frase 
the  dash-line. 


POCKETS.  135 

8.    Cut  on  the  curve. 

Making.  —  Make  a  narrow  hem  on  the  sides  and  on  the 
straight  edges  at  the  top,  and  an  inch  hem  at  the  lower 
edge.  Bind  the  curve  with  narrow  linen  tape,  leaving 
enough  at  each  end  for  strings. 


POCKETS. 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  fifteen  inches  long  and  six  inches 
wide. 

1 .  Place  the  narrow  side  of  the  paper  horizontally  in 
front  of  you. 

2.  Write  your  name  and  school  at  the  lower  part  of  the 
paper. 

3.  Make  a  dot  six    inches  from    the    lower    left-hand 
corner  ;   mark  it  A  (Fig.  104). 

4.  Make  a  dot  one  inch  to  the  left  of  the  upper  right- 
hand  corner  ;  mark  it  B, 

5.  Make  a  dot  four  inches  exactly  below  B  ;  mark  it  C. 

6.  Draw  from  A  to  C. 

7.  Draw  from  B  to  C. 

8.  Cut  on  the  outer  lines. 

Making.  —  When  the  skirt  is  made  of  wash  material, 
make  the  pocket  of  the  same  ;  for  woollen  material,  use 
strong  silesia  or  cambric.  Place  the  longest  side  of  the 
pattern  on  a  lengthwise  fold  of  the  material,  and  then 
cut.  When  the  pocket  is  made  of  material  different  from 
the  skirt,  each  bias  edge  should  have  a  facing,  two  inches 
wide,  like  the  material  of  the  skirt.  Baste  the  facings  at 
the  outside  edges,  and  hem  them  at  the  inner  edges. 


136 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Fold  the  edges  of  the  pocket  together,  with  the  facings  on 
the  outside.  Beginning  one-fourth  of  an  inch  below  A 
(Fig.  104),  make  a  French  seam  at  the  side  and  across 
the  lower  edge  of  the  pocket.  On  the  bias  edge  measure 
six  inches  from  the  seam,  and  from  this  point,  stitch  to  C 
(Fig.  104).  Turn  the  pocket  inside  out.  In  a  seam  of 
the  skirt,  beginning  four  and  a  half  inches  from  the  bind- 
ing (this  distance  depends  upon  the  length  of  the  arm), 
make  a  slit  six  inches  long,  and  fasten  each  end  securely. 


B 

/ 

'(J 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

A 

Nc 

iml 

Sc> 

\oo 

I 

11 


\ 


Figs.  I  04  and  105.  —  Pockets, 

With  the  facing  of  the  pocket  to  the  right  side  of  the 
skirt,  place  the  lower  seams  exactly  together  ;  baste,  and 
stitch  the  pocket  in.  After  overcasting,  turn  the  pocket. 
Fold  the  edges  in  from  B  to  C  and  overhand  them.  Lay 


CHILD'S  DRAWERS.  137 

a  small  plait  at  the  upper  end  of  the  pocket,   and  tack  it 
securely  to  the  binding. 

Fig.  105  shows  another  way  of  cutting  a  pocket,  which 
is  to  be  inserted  in  the  opening  of  the  skirt  between  A 
and  B. 


CHILD'S    DRAWERS. 

(AGE,  8  YEARS.) 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  twenty-two  inches  long  and  four- 
teen inches  wide. 

1 .  Place  the  narrow  side  of  the  paper  horizontally  in 
front  of  you. 

2.  Write  your  name  and  school  two  inches  from  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  paper,   and  eight  inches  above  the 
lower  edge.      Under  the  name   of   the  school,  put  in  a 
column  the  words,  waist  measure,  twenty-two  inches  ;  leg 
measure,  seventeen  inches  ;  knee  measure,  thirteen  inches. 

3.  Mark  the  upper  left-hand  corner  A,  the  upper  right- 
hand  corner  B,  the  lower  left-hand  corner  C,  and  the  lower 
right-hand  corner  D  (Fig.  106). 

4.  Make  a  dot  two  inches  above  C  ;  mark  it  E. 

5.  Make  a  dot  two  inches  above  D  ;   mark  it  F. 

6.  Draw  a  dash-line  from  E  to  F. 

7.  Fold  the  paper  under  on  the  line  ;   this  is  for  the 
hem. 

8.  Make  a  dot   seven  and  one-half    inches    above  F '; 
mark  it  G. 

9.  Make  a  dot  three  inches  below  A  ;  mark  it  H. 

10.  Make  a  dot  four  inches  to  the  left  of.  B  ;  mark  it  /. 

1 1 .  Draw  a  line  from  H  to  /. 


138 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


12.  Draw  a  line  from  G  to  /. 

13.  Make  a  dot  eight  and  .one-half  inches  to  the  right 
of  E  ;  mark  it  J. 

14.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  G  toy. 


ame 


17 


IS 


inches 


\ 


]\ 


Fig.  106.  —  Child's  drawers. 

15.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  G  toy,  allowing 
one-inch  curve  in  the  middle.      Erase  the  dash-line. 

1 6.  Without  unfolding    the  hem,   cut    the  pattern  on 
the  outside  lines. 


NIGHT-DRESS    YOKE.  139 

Making.  —  For  drawers  this  size,  one  and  one-fourth 
yards  of  material  are  required.  Fold  the  cloth  lengthwise 
fourteen  inches  from  one  of  the  edges,  and  pin  the  thick- 
nesses of  cloth  together  at  the  selvedge  edge.  Unfold 
the  hem,  and  lay  the  longest  edge  of  the  pattern  on  the 
fold,  iv it /i  tJie  lower  edge  at  tJie  raw  edge  of  tJie  clotli. 
Carefully  pin  the  pattern  on,  and  then  cut.  Remove  the 
pattern,  lay  it  on  the  other  end  of  the  cloth  in  the  same 
manner,  and  cut  the  other  leg.  For  an  opening  at  the 
side,  cut  a  slit  on  each  fold  seven  and  one-half  inches 
deep.  Cut  two  lengthwise  bindings,  each  three  inches 
wide  and  twelve  inches  long.  The  lower  edge  is  cut  by  a 
thread  ;  begin  there  to  baste,  and,  if  one  side  proves  a 
little  longer  than  the  other,  pare  it  off.  Sew  each  leg  as 
far  as  G  (Fig.  106).  Place  the  right  sides  of  the  legs 
together,  with  the  seams  exactly  meeting.  Turn  one 
seam  to  the  right,  and  the  other  to  the  left,  and  pin. 
Beginning  at  G,  sew  the  upper  portions  together.  Fold 
and  sew  the  hem  of  each  leg.  At  the  side  openings, 
make  narrow  hems  and  set  in  gussets.  If  preferred,  the 
openings  may  be  faced  of  bound.  Leaving  two  inches  at 
each  end,  gather  each  side,  and  put  on  the  bindings, 
allowing  more  fulness  at  the  middle. 


NIGHT-DRESS    YOKE. 

(BUST  MEASURE,  32  INCHES.) 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  seventeen  inches  long  and  nine 
inches  wide. 

Place  the  long  side  of  the  paper  horizontally  in  front  of 
you. 


140 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Write  your  name  and  school  three  inches  from  the  left- 
hand  side  of  the  paper,  and  three  inches  above  the  lower 
edge. 

Front,  —  I.  Draw  a  vertical  dash-line  one  and  one-half 
inches  from  the  left-hand  side  of  the  paper. 

2.  Fold  the  paper  under  on  the  line,  this  is  for    the 
hem. 

3.  Mark  the  upper  left-hand  corner  of  the  paper  A, 
the  upper  right-hand  corner  B,  the  lower  left-hand  corner 
C,  the  lower  right-hand  corner  D  (Fig.  107). 


Fig.  107.  —  Night-dress  yoke, 

4.  Draw  a  vertical  dash-line  eight  and  one-half  inches 
from  the  left-hand  side  of  the  paper  ;  mark  it  /. 

5.  Make  a  dot  two  and  one-fourth  inches  to  the  right 
of  A  ;  mark  it  E. 

6.  Make  a  dot  three  and   three-fourths  inches  below 
A  ;  mark  it  F. 

7.  Make  a  dot  one    inch   below  E  ;  one-eighth  of   an 
inch  to  the  right  of  this  dot  make  another  dot  ;  mark  the 
last  dot  G. 

8.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  .Fto  G. 


NIGHT-DRESS    YOKE.  14! 

9.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  F  to  G  ;  allowing 
seven-eighths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle. 

10.  Continue  the  curved  line  to  E.     Erase  the  dash- 
line. 

1 1.  Make  a  dot  one-half  of  an  inch  from  line  /,  and  one 
and  one-fourth  inches  from  the  upper  edge  of  the  paper ; 
mark  it  H. 

12.  Draw  a  line  from  E  to  H. 

13.  Make  a  dot  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  line  /,  and 
one  and  three-fourths  inches  above  the  lower  edge  of  the 
paper  ;  mark  it  /. 

14.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line,  from  H  to  /,   (see 
shape  in  Fig.  107). 

15.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  C  to  /. 

1 6.  Draw  an  outward-curving  line,  from  C  to  /,  allowing 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.     Erase  the 
dash-line. 

17.  Mark  a  notch  on  the  curved  line,  one  inch  from  E. 

1 8.  Mark  a  notch  on  the  curved  line,  one  inch  from  H. 
The  notches  show  where  the  shoulder-seam  should  be 

taken. 

Back.  —  i .   Make  a  dot  two  inches  below  B  ;  mark  it  J. 

2.  Make  a  dot  one  inch  below  the  upper  edge  of  the 
paper,   and    two  and    one-fourth  inches    from    the  right- 
hand  edge  ;  mark  it  K. 

3.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  y  to  K. 

4.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  J  to  Kt  allowing 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.     Erase  the 
dash-line. 

5.  Make  a  dot  one-fourth  of  an  inch  from  line  /,  and 
three  and  one-half  inches  below  the  upper  edge  of  the 
paper  ;  mark  it  L. 


142  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

6.  Draw  a  line  from  K  to  L. 

7.  Make  a  dot,  on  line  /,  one-half  of  an  inch  above  the 
lower  edge  of  the  paper  ;  mark  it  M. 

8.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  L  to  M. 

9.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  L  to  M,  allowing 
seven-eighths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.     Erase  the 
dash-line. 

10.  Draw  a  line  from  D  to  M. 

1 1      Mark  a  notch  on  the  curved  line,  one  inch  from  L. 

12.  Mark  a  notch  on  the  curved  line,  one  inch  from  K. 

13.  Without  unfolding  the  hem  at  the  front,  cut  the 
patterns  on  the  outside  lines,  making  the  notches  small. 


CHILD'S    SACK    TIER 

(AGE,  2  YEARS.) 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  one  yard  long  and  twelve  inches 
wide. 

Place  the  narrow  side  of  the  paper  horizontally  in  front 
of  you.  Mark  the  upper  left-hand  corner  At  the  upper 
right-hand  corner  B,  the  lower  left-hand  corner  C,  the 
lower  right-hand  corner  D  (Fig.  108). 

Front,  —  i .  Make  a  dot  twenty-one  and  one-half  inches 
above  C\  mark  it  E.  » 

2.  Make  a  dot  two  inches  above  E  ;  one  and  one-half 
inches  to  the  right  of  this  dot  and  parallel  with  it,  make 
another  dot  ;  mark  it  F. 

3.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  E  to  F. 

4.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  E  to  F,  allowing 
three-fourths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.     Erase  the 
dash-line. 


CHILD  S    SACK    TIER. 


143 


Fig.  108.  —  Child's  sack  tier. 


144  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

5 .  Make  a  dot  three  and  one-half  inches  to  the  right  of 
Fand  parallel  with  F\  one  inch  exactly  below  this  dot 
make  another  dot  ;  mark  it  G. 

6.  Draw  a  line  from  Fto  G. 

7.  Make  a  dot  three  inches  exactly  below  G  ;  one-half 
of  an   inch   to   the   left  of  this   dot   make   another   dot  ; 
mark  it  H. 

8.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  G  to  H. 

9.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  G  to  H,  allowing 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.      Erase  the 
dash-line. 

10.  Make  a  dot  two  inches  to  the  right  of  H,  and  par- 
allel with  H ;  mark  it  /. 

1 1 .  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from    H  to    I  (see 
shape  in  Fig.  108). 

12.  Make  a  dot  two  inches  above  D  ;  mark  \\.J. 

13.  Draw  a  line  from  /to_/. 

14.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  CtoJ. 

15.  Draw  an  outward-curving  line  from  C  toy,  allowing 
one-half  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.     Erase  the  dash- 
line. 

Sleeve.  —  i .  Make  a  dot  ten  and  one-half  inches  below 
A  ;  one  inch  to  the  right  of  this  dot  and  para1  lei  with  it, 
make  another  dot  ;  mark  the  last  dot  K. 

2.  Make  a  dot  three  inches  below  A  ;  mark  it  L. 

3.  Draw  a  line  from  K  to  L. 

4.  Make  a  dot  one  inch  above  L  ;  four  inches  to  the 
right  of  this  dot  and  parallel  with  it,  make  another  dot  ; 
mark  it  M. 

5.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  L  to  M. 

6.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  L  to  M,  allowing 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.     Erase  the 
dash-line. 


CHILD  S    SACK    TIER.  145 

7.  Make  a  dot  five  inches  to  the  right  of  M  and  par- 
allel with  M\  mark  it  N. 

8.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  M  to  N. 

9.  Draw  an  outward-curving  line  from  M  to  N,  allowing 
one    and    one-fourth    inch   curve  at    the    middle.      Erase 
the  dash-line. 

10.  Mark  a  notch  at  the  middle  of  this  curve. 

1 1 .  Make  a  dot  two  and  one-half  inches  to  the  right  of 
A7"   and    parallel    with    N]    one    and    one-fourth     inches 
exactly  below  this  dot  make  another  dot  ;  mark  it  O. 

12.  Draw  a  slightly  inward-curving  line  from  N  to  O. 

13.  Make  a  dot  nine  and  one-half  inches  to  the  right 
of  K,  and  parallel  with  K\  mark  it  P.' 

14.  Draw  a  line  from  O  to  P. 

1 5.  Draw  a  line  from  K  to  P. 


Take  a  piece  of  paper  one  yard  long  and  eleven  inches 
wide. 

Place  the  narrow  side  of  the  paper  horizontally  in  front 
of  you.  Mark  the  lower  left-hand  corner  A  ;  mark  the 
lower  right-hand  corner  B. 

Back.  —  i .    Make  a  dot  one  inch  above  A  ;  mark  it  C. 

2.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  B  to  C, 

3.  Draw  an  outward-curving  line  from  B  to  C,  allowing 
one-fourth  of    an  inch  curve  at   the  middle.      Erase  the 
dash-line. 

4.  Make  a  dot  eighteen  inches  exactly  above  C ;  three 
and  one-half  inches  to  the  right  of  this  dot,  and  parallel 
with  it,  make  another  dot  ;  mark  it  D. 

5.  Draw  a  line  from  C  to  D. 

6.  Make  a  dot  one  inch  to  the  right  of  D  and  parallel 


146  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

with  D ;  two  and  one-half  inches  exactly  above  this  dot 
make  another  dot  ;  mark  it  E. 

7.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  D  to  E  (see  shape 
in  Fig.  1 08). 

8.  Make  a  dot    three    inches  to  the    right  of  E,  and 
parallel  with  E  ;  one  and  one-half  inches  exactly  above 
this  dot,  make  another  dot  ;  mark  it  F. 

9.  Draw  a  line  from  E  to  F. 

10.  Make  a  dot  one  inch  exactly  below  F\  two  inches 
to  the  right  of  this  dot,  and  parallel  with  it,  make  another 
dot  ;  mark  it  G. 

1 1 .  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  F  to  G. 

12.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  Fto  G,  allowing 
three-eighths  of  an  inch  curve  at  the  middle.      Erase  the 
dash-line. 

13.  Make  a  dot  one  and  one-half  inches  to  the  right  of 
G  ;  one-fourth  of  an  inch  above  this  dot  make  another 
dot  ;  mark  it  H. 

14.  Continue  the  curved  line  from  G  to  H. 

Cuff.  —  i .    Make  a  dot  four  inches  above  H ;  mark  it  /. 

2.  Make  a  dot  six  and  one-half  inches  to  the  left  of  / 
and  parallel  with  / ;  mark  it  J. 

3.  Draw  a  line  from  /  to  J. 

4.  Make  a  dot  four  inches  exactly  above  _/;  mark  it  K. 

5 .  Draw  a  line  from  J  to  K. 

6.  Make  a  dot  four  inches  above  7;  mark  it  L. 

7.  Draw  a  line  from  K  to  L. 

Write  your  name  and  school  at  the  lower  part  of  each 
pattern. 

Cut  each  pattern  out,  on  the  heavy  lines. 

Making.  —  Lay  the  longest  side  of  the  front  pattern  on 
a  lengthwise  fold  of  the  cloth,  and  cut.  Fold  the  sel- 


CHILD  S    SACK    TIER.  147 

vedges  of  the  cloth  together,  lay  the  longest  side  of  the 
back  pattern  on  the  selvedge  edge,  and  cut  the  two  backs 
at  once.  With  the  right  sides  of  the  cloth  folded 
together,  lay  the  lower  edge  of  the  sleeve  pattern  on  a 
woof  thread  of  the  cloth,  and  cut  two  sleeves  at  once. 
Lay  the  narrow  edge  of  the  cuff  pattern  on  a  woof  thread 
of  the  cloth,  and  cut  one  cuff  ;  cut  the  other  cuff  in  a 
similar  manner.  Baste  an  inch  and  a  half  hem  at  each 
side  of  the  opening  in  the  back  ;  baste  the  side  and 
shoulder-seams  together,  allowing  half-an-inch  seam.  Try 
the  tier  on,  make  any  alterations  necessary,  and  then 
sew  the  seams.  Make  an  inch  hem  at  the  lower  edge. 
Sew  each  sleeve  together,  making  a  narrow  seam.  Gather 
the  upper  edge  of  each  sleeve,  leaving  a  space  of  two 
inches  each  side  of  the  seam.  Gather  the  lower  edge  of 
each  sleeve,  leaving  a  space  of  an  inch  and  a  half  each 
side  of  the  seam.  Sew  the  narrow  edges  of  each  cuff 
together.  Holding  the  right  sides  together  stitch  the 
cuffs  to  the  sleeves.  Fold  the  cuffs  over,  and  hem  on  the 
wrong  side  at  the  stitching.  Holding  the  sleeve  towards 
you,  with  the  upper  part  of  the  sleeve  marked  M  (Fig. 
1 08)  towards  the  front,  and  with  the  notch  at  the  shoulder- 
seam,  sew  the  sleeve  in.  Bind  or  face  the  neck.  Make 
the  button-holes,  and  put  on  the  buttons.  If  strings  are 
desired  make  them  each  three  inches  wide  and  three- 
fourths  of  a  yard  long  ;  laying  a  plait,  insert  the  strings 
into  the  side-seams  five  inches  below  the  arm-scye. 


148  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


GORED  SKIRT. 

To  make  a  gored  skirt  one  yard  long,  having  a  four 
inch  hem,  three  and  one-third  yards  of  material,  one  yard 
wide  are  required.1  Tear  off  three  breadths,  each  forty 
inches  long. 

Front-breadth.  —  i .  Fold  the  lengthwise  edges  of  one 
of  the  breadths  together. 

2.  Hold  the  folded  edge  towards  you. 

3.  Make  a  dot  at  the  right-hand  side,  ten  and  one-half 
inches  above  the  folded  edge;  mark  it  A. 

4.  Make  a  dot  four  inches  to  the  left  of  A  and  parallel 
with  A ;  mark  it  B.     This  is  for  the  hem. 

5.  Make  a  dot  at    the   left-hand  side,   eight  and  one-- 
half inches  above  the  folded  edge;  mark  it  C. 

6.  Make  a  dot  on  the  folded  edge,  one-half  of  an  inch 
from  the  left-hand  end;   mark  it  D. 

7.  Cut  straight  from  A  to  B. 

8.  Fold  the  cloth  from  B  to  C,  and  cut  on  the  fold. 

9.  Cut  from  C  to  D,  slightly  curving  inward. 
Side-breadths.  —  I.   Fold   the    lengthwise   edges    of    an- 
other breadth  together. 

2.  Hold  the  selvedges  towards  you. 

3.  Make  a  dot  at  the  right-hand  side,  sixteen  and  one- 
half  inches  from  the  selvedges;  mark  it  A. 

4.  Make  a  dot  four  inches  to  the  left  of  A,  and  parallel 
with  A\  mark  it  B. 

5.  Make  a  dot  at  the  left-hand  side,  thirteen  and  one- 
half  inches  from  the  selvedges;  mark  it  C. 

6.  Cut  straight  from  A  to  B. 

1  This  may  be  cut  from  paper  if  desired. 


DRAWERS.  149 

7.    Fold  the  cloth  from  B  to  C,  and  cut  on  the  fold. 

Back-breadth.  —  Cut  this  breadth  thirty  (or  more)  inches 
wide. 

Cut  the  band  three  and  one-half  inches  wide,  and  one 
inch  longer  (to  allow  for  lapping  and  making)  than  the 
waist  measure. 

Making.  —  In  a  gored  skirt,  the  bias  edges  should  be 
towards  the  back.  Place  the  straight  edges  of  the  side- 
breadths  to  the  front-breadth,  and  pin  them  together  at 
the  ends  and  in  the  middle.  In  sewing  the  seams,  hold 
the  bias  edge  towards  you,  fulling  it  a  little  if  necessary; 
or  the  bias  edge  can  be  held  smoothly,  afterwards  cutting 
off  the  extra  length  at  the  lower  edge.  Sew  the  back- 
breadth  to  the  side-breadths  in  a  similar  manner.  Make 
a  four  inch  hem  at  the  lower  edge,  laying  a  small  plait 
at  each  seam  for  the  fulness.  In  the  middle  of  the  back- 
breadth  make  a  placket  ten  inches  in  length.  Put  the 
upper  edge  into  the  band,  allowing  more  fullness  at  the 
back  than  in  the  front. 


DRAWERS. 
(AoE,  12  YEARS  AND  UPWARD.) 

1.  Place  the  narrow  side  of  a  sheet  of   drafting-paper 
horizontally  in  front  of  you. 

2.  Write  your  name  and  school  five  inches  from  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  paper  and  five  inches  above  the  lower 
edge.      Under  the  name  of  the  school,  put  in  a  column  the 
words,  waist  measure,  leg  measure  and  knee  measure. 

3.  Take  the  waist  measure  tightly,  and  record  it. 


I5O  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

4.  Take  the  leg  measure  from  the  side  of  the  waist  to 
the  side  of  the  knee,  and  record  it. 

5.  Take  the  measure  around  the  knee,  and  record  it. 

6.  Make  a  dot  one  inch  from  the  left-hand  side  of  the 
paper,  and  two  inches  above  the  lower  edge;  mark  it  A 
(Fig.  109). 

7.  From  dot  A  draw  an  oblong  (having  the  longest  side 
vertical)  four  inches  longer  than  the  leg  measure,  and  four 
inches  wider  than  half  the  waist  measure. 

8.  Mark   the   perpendicular   line  at  left  /;  the  upper 
horizontal  line  2\  the  perpendicular  line  at  right  J>;  the 
lower  horizontal  line  4. 

9.  Make  a  dot  on  line  /,  four  inches  below  the  junction 
of  lines  /  and  2\  mark  it  B. 

10.  Find  half  the  waist  measure,  and  make  a  dot  on 
line  2  this  distance  from  the  junction  of  lines  /  and  2\ 
mark  it  C. 

1 1.  Make  a  dot  one  inch  to  the  left  of  C\  mark  it  D. 

12.  Make  a  dot  two  inches  exactly  below  D\  mark  it  E. 

13.  Draw  a  line  from  B  to  C;  mark  it  5. 

14.  Draw  a  line  from  B  to  E\  mark  it  6. 

i  5.    Find  half  the  leg  measure,  and  make  a  dot  on  line  J 
this  distance  from  the  junction  of  lines  J  and  </;  mark  it  F. 
^16.    Make  a  dot  on  line  4,  from  A,  two  inches  more 
than  half  the  knee  measure;  mark  it  G. 

17.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  C  to  F. 

1 8.  Draw  an  outward-curving  line  from  C  to  F,  allow- 
ing one-inch  curve  at  the  middle;  mark  it  7.      Erase  the 
dash-line. 

19.  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  £  to  F. 

20.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  E  to  F,  allowing 
half-an-inch  curve  at  the  middle;  mark  it  8.     Erase  the 
dash-line. 


DRAWERS. 


D 


-1- 


Nam 


Schobl 


Waist 


Knee 


—  A 


Fig.  109.  —  Drawers, 


152  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

2 1 .  Draw  a  light  dash-line  from  F  to  G. 

22.  Draw  an  inward-curving  line  from  F  to  G,  allowing 
a  two  inch  curve  at  the  middle;  mark  it  p.     Erase  the 
dash-line. 

23.  Fold  the  paper  under  on  line  4,  for  the  hem. 

24.  Without  unfolding  the  hem,  cut  the  pattern  on  the 
outside  lines.     Trace  lines  6  and  8. 

Making.  —  Fold  the  cloth' lengthwise,  the  width  of  the 
pattern  from  one  of  the  edges,  and  pin  the  thicknesses 
of  cloth  together.  Unfold  the  hem,  and  lay  the  longest 
side  of  the  pattern  on  the  fold,  with  the  lower  edge  at 
the  raw  edge  of  the  cloth.  Pin  the  pattern  on,  and  trace 
lines  6  and  8.  Cut  both  thicknesses  of  cloth  at  the  edges 
of  the  pattern,  and  remove  the  pattern ;  then  cut  the  upper 
fold  of  cloth  on  the  traced  lines,  this  is  for  the  front.  Cut 
the  other  leg  by  laying  the  leg  already  cut  on  the  cloth, 
right  sides  together,  and  the  lower  edge  on  a  woof  thread 
of  the  cloth.  Cut  a  binding  lengthwise  of  the  cloth, 
having  it  three  inches  wide  and  the  length  of  the  waist 
measure,  allowing  one  inch  for  lapping  at  each  opening. 
They  may  be  made  to  open  in  the  back  or  at  the  side. 
When  tucks  are  to  be  made,  allowance  must  be  made 
for  them  before  cutting  the  cloth.  If  open  drawers  are 
desired,  face  the  upper  portions  of  the  legs;  otherwise 
make  them  according  to  the  directions  on  page  139.  To 
avoid  fulness  at  the  waist,  the  gathers  can  be  put  into 
a  yoke. 


CHILD  S    WAIST.  153 


CHILD'S   WAIST  (opening  in  the   back). 
(AGE,  3  TO   10  YEARS.) 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  sixteen  inches  long  and  twenty 
inches  wide. 

1.  Place   the   long   side   of   the   paper   horizontally   in 
front  of  you. 

2.  Write  your  name  and  school  three  inches  from  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  paper,  and  eight  inches  above  the 
lower   edge.      Under   the   name   of   the   school,  put  in  a 
a  column  the  words,  waist  measure,  bust  measure,  length 
from  tape  to  back  of  neck,  length  from  tape  to  waist, 
length  of  shoulder. 

3.  Take  the  waist  measure,  and  record  it. 

4.  Take  the  bust  measure  by  putting  the  tape-measure 
around  the  body  close  under  the  arms;  pin  the  ends  to- 
gether at  the  middle  of  .the  chest.     Record  this  measure, 
leaving  the  tape  still  in  position. 

5.  Measure  from  tape  to  the  bone  in  the  back  of  the 
neck,  and  record  it. 

6.  Measure  from  tape  to  waist,  and  record  it. 

7.  Measure  the  length  of  shoulder,  and  record  it. 

8.  Draw  a  horizontal  dash-line  nine  inches  above  the 
lower  edge  of  the  paper;  mark  it  /  (Fig.  1 10). 

9,,    Draw  a  vertical  line  two  inches  from  the  left-hand 
edge  of  the  paper  ;  mark  it  2. 

10.  Draw  a  vertical  dash-line  one   inch   to   the   right 
of  line  2\  mark  it  J.     This  allows  for  the  hem. 

1 1 .  Find   one-half  of  the   bust   measure,   and  at   this 
distance  from  line  J  draw  a  vertical  line;  mark  it  4. 

12.  Bisect  the  distance  between  lines  J  and^,  and  half- 


154 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


an-inch  to  the  left  of  the  middle  draw  a  vertical  dash-line; 
mark  it  5. 

13.  Draw  a  horizontal  dash-line  from  line  J  to  line  ^, 
as  many  inches  above  line  /,  as  is  the  measure  "  from  tape 
to  neck";  mark  it  6. 

14.  Draw  a  horizontal  dash-line  from  line  J  to  line  </, 
as  far  below  line  /,  as  the  measure  "from  tape  to  waist"; 
mark  it  7. 


Fig.  I  10.  — Child's  waist. 

15.  Draw  a  horizontal  line  two  inches  below  line  7; 
mark  it  8. 

BACK. 

Neck.  —  i .  Make  a  clot  one  and  one-half  inches  to  the 
right  of  line  J,  and  one-fourth  of  an  inch  above  line  6\ 
mark  it  A. 


I 

CHILD  S    WAIST.  I  55 

2.  Make  a  dot  at  the  junction  of  lines  J  and  6;  mark 
it  B. 

3.  Draw  a  slightly  curved  line  from  A  to  B  (see  Fig. 
no). 

Shoulder.  —  i .  Draw  a  horizontal  dash-line  from  line  J 
to  line  5,  one  and  one-half  inches  below  line  6;  mark  it  <?. 

2.  Place  the  end  of  the  ruler  on  A,  and,  bringing  the 
shoulder  measurement  to  meet  line  p,  make  a  dot;   mark 
it  C. 

3.  Draw  a  straight  line  from  A  to  C. 

Arm-scye.  —  I .  Make  a  dot  half-an-inch  below  line  /, 
on  line  5;  mark  it  D. 

2.    Draw  a  curved  line  from  C  to  D  (see  Fig.  1 10). 

FRONT. 

Neck.  —  i .  Make  a  dot  two  and  one-fourth  inches  to 
the  left  of  line  ^,  and  one  inch  above  line  6\  mark  it  E. 

2.  On  line  ^  make  a  dot  one  and  one-half  inches  below 
line  6\  mark  it  F. 

3.  Draw  a  curved  line  from  £  to  F  (see  Fig.  1 10). 
Shoulder.  —  i .    Place  the  end  of  the  ruler  on  E,  and, 

bringing  the  shoulder  measurement  to  meet  line  6,  make 
a  dot;  mark  it  G. 

2.    Draw  a  straight  line  from  E  to  G. 

Arm-scye.  —  To  complete  the  arm-scye,  draw  a  curved 
line  from  G  to  D  (see  shape  in  Fig.  1 10). 

Waist.  —  i .  If  the  waist  measure  is  less  than  the  bust 
measure,  divide  their  difference  by  two,  and  make  a  dot 
this  distance  on  line  7  at  each  side  of  line  5  ;  mark 
them  H  and  /. 

2.  Draw  a  straight  line  from  D  to  //,  and  another  from 
Dto  L 


156  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

3.  Make  a  dot  at  the  junction  of  lines  5  and  S  ;  mark 

it/. 

4.  Draw  a  straight  line  from  H  to  J,  and  another  from 
/to/. 

If  the  waist  measure  is  greater  than  the  bust  measure, 
slant  these  lines  outward  instead  of  inward,  this  will 
necessitate  a  seam. 

Fold  the  paper  under  on  line  J,  and  cut  the  pattern  on 
the  heavy  outside  lines. 


HINTS    FOR    A    PLAIN    BASQUE. 

There  are  over  four  hundred  different  systems  of  dress- 
drafting  used  in  the  United  States,  and  any  one  of  these 
to  be  of  use  requires  constant  practice. 

Patterns  are  now  easily  obtained,  and  by  using  judg- 
ment and  following  the  given  directions  carefully,  will  be 
found  of  great  assistance.  Patterns  allowing  for  seams 
are  easier  to  cut  from,  than  those  which  do  not. 

The  trimmings  needed  for  a  plain  basque  are  linings, 
sewing  silk,  button-hole  twist,  basting  cotton,  buttons  or 
hooks  and  eyes,  and  whale-bones. 

The  main  parts  of  a  plain  basque  pattern  are  front, 
back,  side-back,  under-arm,  collar,  upper-sleeve,  and  under- 
sleeve. 

The  front  pattern  can  be  distinguished  from  the  back 
pattern  by  the  shape  of  the  neck  and  arm-scye,  the  neck 
of  the  front  being  cut  lower,  and  the  arm-scye  being  cut 
larger  and  having  more  of  a  curve.  The  upper-sleeve 
portion  is  wider  than  the  under-sleeve  portion,  in  order  to 
bring  the  seams  more  under  the  arms. 


HINTS    FOR    A    PLAIN    BASQUE.  157 

The  edge  of  the  hem  of  the  opening  should  be  laid  on 
the  selvedge,  to  avoid  making  two  folds  in  the  hem. 

Great  care  must  be  taken  to  baste  the  seams  of  a 
basque  according  to  the  marks  ;  few  beginners  realize 
that  the  difference  of  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  the  width 
of  the  seven  seams,  around  the  waist,  will  amount  to  one 
and  three-fourths  inches.  Even  basting  stitches  should 
be  used.  After  the  basque  is  basted,  try  it  on.  Altera- 
tions for  tightening  or  loosening  the  basque,  around  the 
waist,  should  be  made  at  the  under-arm  seams. 

After  the  seams  are  sewed,  take  out  the  bastings  ;  pare 
the  seams,  making  notches  at  the  waist-line,  and  two 
inches  above  the  waist-line,  to  allow  for  the  curving  of 
the  dress.  The  under-arm  seams  may  be  left  wider  than 
the  others,  that  the  basque  may  be  let  out. 

Press  the  seams  open.  Overcast  the  seams  closely,  or 
bind  them  with  a  narrow  silk  binding  obtainable  for  this 
purpose. 

Whale-bone  casings  can  be  bought,  or  a  bias  strip  of 
silesia  can  be  sewed  on  to  the  seams,  fulling  it  a  little. 
Soak  the  whale-bones  in  hot  water  for  an  hour,  before 
using,  which  will  render  them  soft  and  pliable  enough  to 
sew  through.  They  should  be  firmly  fastened  an  inch 
above  and  an  inch  below  the  waist-line. 

To  finish  the  lower  edge  of  the  basque,  baste  a  bias 
strip  of  plain  lining  muslin,  two  inches  wide,  on  the  edge 
of  the  basque  ;  then  fold  the  edges  over  half-an-inch,  and 
catch  them  to  the  lining,  fastening  securely  at  the  seams. 
Put  on  a  facing  of  a  thin  material  cut  on  the  bias. 


Fig.   Ml.  —  Doll's  patterns. 


DOLL'S  PATTERNS.  159 


DOLL'S    PATTERNS. 

On  page  158,  patterns  are  given  for  doll's  garments. 
By  using  inch  squared  paper,  and  drawing  the  patterns  in 
the  same  proportion,  as  they  are  given  in  the  one-fourth 
inch  squares,  patterns  will  be  obtained  for  a  doll  ten 
inches  long. 


TEACHER'S    SUPPLEMENT. 


161 


ffi 


a 

t 


MEtEtEtEeSErJftffl 
^ggffiP 


Fig.   112,  —  Demonstration    Frame. 


TEACHING    THE    LESSONS. 

Every  pupil  should  be  thoroughly  instructed  in  the 
meaning  of  general  phrases  ;  as,  "work  towards  you," 
"from  you,"  "from  right  to  left,"  "threads  of  the  cloth," 
etc.  When  dimensions  are  given,  each  pupil  should  be 
able  to  show  on  the  cloth  the  different  distances  required; 
the  depth  of  the  little  finger-nail  may  be  referred  to, 
when  a  fourth  of  an  inch  is  needed. 

Drills  are  necessary  in  teaching  beginners  the  motions 
required  in  sewing,  and  should  be  given  before  beginning 
a  new  stitch.  They  interest  the  children,  and  promote 
dexterity  and  skillfulness.  Children  are  apt  to  close  their 
fingers  when  learning  to  sew,  this  may  be  obviated  by  the 
needle  drill.  The  monotony  of  this  may  be  made  pleasant 
by  calling  it  "shooting  the  needle,"  and  allowing  the  chil- 
dren to  aim  the  needle  towards  their  neighbors.  Drills 
for  creasing  hems  and  folding  tucks  and  plaits  may  be 
practised  on  paper.  The  pupils  who  are  proficient  may  be 
allowed  to  proceed  with  their  work,  while  the  others  stand 
and  practise  the  drill. 

Simultaneous  teaching.  —  In  the  instruction  of  classes, 
especially  if  they  are  large,  good  results  can  be  obtained 
by  simultaneous  teaching.  Class  work  is  more  effectual 
than  individual  work  ;  the  lesson  being  as  easily  dictated 
to  a  class  of  fifty,  as  to  a  single  pupil. 

Demonstration  lessons  are  a  great  help  in  simultaneous 
teaching.  On  page  162  is  an  illustration  of  a  frame  used 
in  European  countries ;  smaller  frames,  that  fasten  on  to 
the  desk,  are  also  used.  The  cords  represent  the  threads 


164  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

of  the  cloth,  and  a  large  bone  needle  is  used.  In  this 
country  the  frame  has  not  proved  very  satisfactory.  In 
its  place,  a  piece  of  Java  or  coarse  canvas,  coarse  heavy 
scrim,  or  linen  crash  may  be  hung  over  a  wire  on  the  wall 
or  blackboard,  or  held  in  the  hands.  One  advantage  of  the 
use  of  cloth  is  that  it  can  be  easily  taken  to  any  part  of 
the  room. 

The  stitch  should  be  worked  on  the  cloth  in  plain  view 
of  all  the  pupils.  To  give  the  exact  position  of  the  work, 
as  it  is  held  by  the  pupil,  let  the  teacher  stand  with  her 
back  towards  the  pupils,  and  hold  her  hands  at  one  side 
or  above  her  head.  A  large  needle  and  coarse,  bright- 
colored  yarn  or  twine  should  be  used,  so  that  the  stitch 
can  be  easily  seen  ;  in  a  large  room  this  may  be  accom- 
plished by  repeating  the  demonstration  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  room. 

When  approaching  a  new  stitch,  it  is  wise  to  spend  a 
short  time  for  several  preceding  lessons  in  simply  showing 
how  the  stitch  is  taken. 

The  lesson  may  be  divided  into  five  parts  :  first,  a  talk 
on  the  subject  matter,  for  instance,  in  a  lesson  on  button- 
holes, describe  the  button-hole,  its  use,  size,  position,  etc., 
also  show  garments  having  the  required  stitrh;  second, 
a  demonstration  lesson  on  the  cloth,  making  the  stitches 
very  large  and  describing  each  motion  ;  third,  an  exam- 
ination of  the  pupils  concerning  the  talk  and  demon- 
stration ;  fourth,  the  demonstration  repeated,  having  the 
pupils  dictate  the  motions  and  the  stitch  ;  fifth,  all  the 
pupils  make  the  stitch  on  their  trial-pieces,  at  the  same 
time  that  it  is  again  being  demonstrated  on  the  cloth. 
The  next  stitches  may  be  made  by  following  a  pupil's 
dictation,  the  teacher  showing  how  to  move  the  cloth  as 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.  165 

the  work  progresses.  Thus,  by  close  attention  and  follow- 
ing the  motions,  the  pupils  learn  the  stitch;  individual 
help  will  necessarily  have  to  be  given  to  the  dull  pupils. 

These  lessons  require  time  and  patience,  but  the  results 
fully  compensate.  Teachers  are  apt  to  expect  too  much, 
and  although  it  may  seem  as  if  little  had  been  accomplished 
in  the  lesson  hour,  do  not  be  discouraged,  for,  if  the  class 
has  learned  a  little  thoroughly,  much  has  been  gained. 
The  pupil  requires  much  practice  on  the  simple  stitches, 
but  after  the  stitches  are  thoroughly  learnt,  rapid  progress 
may  be  expected.  A  few  fine  garments  made  by  the 
most  capable  pupils  do*  not  compensate  for  poor  execu- 
tion by  the  remainder  of  the  class. 

A  teacher's  success  depends  much  on  the  first  impres- 
sions given  to  her  pupils.  The  first  lesson  should  be  a 
simple  talk  between  teacher  and  pupils,  in  which  the  con- 
fidence of  the  pupils  should  be  gained.  This  may  be 
done  by  questioning  them  on  the  advantages  and  pleas- 
ures of  learning  to  sew,  outlining  their  course,  pointing 
out  the  results,  describing  the  articles  required,  etc.  Let 
the  first  lesson  be  simply  a  preparation  for  a  pleasant 
course. 

The  second  lesson  should  be  on  the  general  directions, 
with  explanations  and  oral  instruction.  At  the  close  of 
each  lesson  the  pupils  should  be  able  to  answer  the  printed 
questions.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  review  the  lessons  at 
various  times,  by  re-asking  the  questions. 

The  tJiird  and  perhaps  fourtJi  lesson  should  be  devoted 
to  needles  and  thread,  so  that  the  pupils  may  become 
perfectly  familiar  with  them,  their  size,  location,  and  use. 

The  tying  of  the  knot  should  be  taught  carefully,  and 
each  pupil  should  understand  its  construction,  as  many 


1 66  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

think  a  wad  of  thread  is  a  knot.  To  accomplish  this, 
let  each  pupil  pass  before  the  teacher  with  the  thread 
partially  drawn  up,  as  in  Fig.  i,  and  complete  it  under 
her  oversight.  This  teaches  also  the  proper  size  for  the 
knot  at  the  end  of  the  thread.  The  directions  for  making 
the  knot  are  given  for  the  left  hand,  but  children  will 
often  make  it  more  readily  with  the  right  hand.  Some 
teachers  never  allow  the  use  of  knots,  except  when  abso- 
lutely necessary,  while  others  consider  it  proper  to  use 
them,  when  they  can  be  concealed.  The  fastening  of  the 
thread  securely,  in  both  beginning  and  ending,  should  be 
emphasized. 

Circumstances  and  the  teacher's  judgment  will  decide 
the  exact  order  in  which  the  stitches  should  be  taught, 
and  which  will  vary  according  to  the  pupils'  previous  in- 
struction in  the  kindergarten  and  primary  schools.  Some 
teachers  prefer  to  begin  with  basting,  others  with  run- 
ning, but  stitching,  although  harder,  drills  the  pupils  more 
in  exactness. 

Trial-piece.  —  The  pupils,  when  learning,  should  always 
have  a  sample  of  the  required  stitch.  A  convenient  trial- 
piece  for  the  lower  classes  is  prepared,  by  basting  together 
the  edges  of  two  strips  of  cloth,  one,  eighteen  inches  by 
fourteen  inches,  the  other,  eighteen  inches  by  four  inches. 
A  sample  of  stitching,  two  inches  long,  is  placed  under 
the  basting,  above  which  is  a  sample  of  overcasting.  A 
narrow  hem  is  basted  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  broad 
piece,  with  a  sample  of  hemming,  also  a  sample  of  coarse 
button-hole  stitch  on  the  fold  of  the  hem  at  the  opposite 
corner;  a  basted  seam  for  overhanding  is  two  inches  from 
the  hem,  with  a  sample  of  overhanding.  On  the  narrow 
piece  of  cloth  is  a  sample  of  running.  Different  colored 
thread  should  be  used  for  each  stitch. 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.  167 

A  basting  lesson  may  be  given  below  the  row  of  bast- 
ing, and  used  for  practice  in  stitching,  followed  by  lessons 
in  gathering,  half-backstitching,  etc.  The  trial-pieces  may 
be  prepared  by  the  pupils  of  the  higher  grades.  It  is 
advisable  to  have  different  shaped  trial-pieces  for  different 
grades,  the  older  classes  preparing  their  own  pieces. 
The  trial-pieces  show  the  pupils'  ability  and  proficiency. 

How  to  keep  the  pupils  busy.  —  If  for  any  cause  the 
pupils  cannot  sew  on  a  garment  or  their  regular  work, 
they  should  work  on  their  trial-pieces.  The  pupils 'will 
endeavor  to  do  their  best,  if  the  work  is  to  be  kept  for 
exhibition. 

Thread.  —  On  the  trial-piece,  different  colored  threads 
may  represent  degrees  of  advancement,  or  a  different 
color  may  be  used  for  each  month's  work,  by  which  it 
may  be  easily  perceived  how  much  has  been  accomplished 
in  the  time.  The  joining  of  the  thread  in  the  different 
stitches  should  be  shown  by  using  different  colors. 

Stitches.  —  The  check  of  gingham  is  of  assistance  to  the 
pupils  when  learning,  as  they  may  be  instructed  to  make 
a  definite  number  of  stitches  in  each  check.  The  warp 
and  woof  of  cloth  may  be  distinguished  by  stretching  the 
edges,  that  which  stretches  the  least  being  the  warp. 
Java  canvas  is  excellent  where  threads  are  to  be  counted  or 
drawn.  It  is  better  to  teach  creasing  on  a  lengthwise 
strip  of  cloth,  as  it  will  not  stretch.  When  the  cloth  has 
to  be  folded  crosswise  or  on  the  bias,  plaiting  and  pinch- 
ing should  be  used.  Basting  may  be  easily  taught  on 
plaided  or  striped  materials.  In  basting,  where  there  will 
be  no  strain,  the  thread  may  be  fastened  by  taking  a  few 
stitches  one  above  the  other;  thus  the  thread  can  be  easily 
picked  out.  In  turning  a  narrow  hem,  explain  that  the  first 


1 68  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

fold  must  not  be  quite  as  deep  as  the  second  fold,  in  order 
that  it  may  lie  smoothly. 

Overcasting  is  difficult  for  children  to  do  nicely,  and 
may  be  taught  on  a  folded  edge.  .  The  proportions  in 
the  directions  for  overcasting  are  given  in  eighths  and 
quarters  of  an  inch,  as  they  are  convenient  for  the  pupils 
to  follow.  Overcasting  is  often  done  from  left  to  right. 
In  running  and  gathering  advanced  pupils  may  be  taught 
to  keep  the  needle  in  the  cloth  until  the  seam  is  finished, 
pushing  the  gathers  off  the  eye  of  the  needle  as  the  work 
proceeds.  Explain  to  the  pupils  the  difference  in  the  use 
of  gathering  and  plaiting,  and  that  plaiting  is  used  when 
it  is  desirable  for  the  fulness  to  lie  flat.  Also  show, 
by  very  coarse  gathering,  why  the  longest  stitches  are  on 
the  right  side.  The  strips  prepared  in  the  lessons  on 
gathering  may  be  used  for  those  on  bindings. 

In  teaching  the  button-hole  stitcJi  on  a  folded  edge,  to 
young  pupils,  the  following  suggestions  may  be  helpful : 
have  the  pupils  point  in  the  direction  towards  which  they 
are  to  work;  have  them  hold  up  their  left  hand,  then  their 
left  forefinger  ;  bring  the  folded  edge  of  the  cloth  across 
the  back  of  the  fingers,  allowing  the  tips  to  show  ;  and 
hold  the  end  of  the  fold  between  the  left  thumb  and 
forefinger.  After  the  stitch  has  been  learned,  it  may  be 
practised  on  a  circle  of  flannel  with  bright-colored  thread 
or  twist.  A  lesson  may  be  given  on  working  an  nncnt 
button-hole,  colored  thread  representing  the  sides  of  the 
slit;  this  is  particularly  helpful  in  teaching  the  working 
of  the  ends.  When  barring  a  button-hole,  after  overcast- 
ing, a  short  stitch  taken  at  the  middle  of  each  side  will 
keep  the  barring  in  position. 

Whipping  is  one  of  the  hardest  class  lessons  ;^  the  dif- 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.          169 

• 

ference  between  rolling  and  folding  should  be  demonstra- 
ted on  large  pieces  of  paper.  Darning  may  be  easily 
taught  on  canvas.  A  fine  quality  of  flannel  is  a  good 
material  for  cloth  darning,  as  it  is  soft  and  yielding,  and 
does  not  ravel.  In  patching,  as  it  is  sometimes  difficult 
for  the  pupils  to  cut  the  hole  in  the  garment  by  a  thread, 
they  may  mark  around  a  square  cardboard  pattern  with  a 
pencil,  and,  after  cutting,  ravel  the  edges  until  they  are 
even.  Care  must  be  taken  to  place  the  edges  of  the  card- 
board parallel  to  the  threads  of  the  cloth.  Marking  cloth 
with  a  lead-pencil  should  not  be  encouraged,  as  the  marks 
are  hard  to  wash  out  ;  when  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  pencil, 
a  blue  one  is  preferable.  After  teaching  fcatJicr-stitching 
on  canvas,  a  striped  material  will  serve  as  a  guide  for  the 
pupil.  On  canvas-work,  crochet  cord,  apothecary  twine, 
or  common  twine  split  may  be  used  instead  of  worsted. 
In  teaching  marking,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  have  the  pupils 
draw  the  letters  first. 

Drafting  and  cutting  may  be  given  by  demonstration 
lessons.  The  pupils  should  not  draft  or  cut  a  dress-waist 
until  they  have  had  experience  on  underclothing  or 
simpler  patterns. 

The  garment  should  be  shown  the  pupils  and  its  pro- 
portions explained  before  drafting,  and  instruction  given 
as  to  the  amount  of  cloth  required,  the  width  of  the 
material,  etc.  Instruction  should  also  be  given  on  choos- 
ing materials  and  patterns  suitable  to  the  form  of  the 
person,  and  the  use  of  the  garment.  For  instance,  a  tall 
person  should  not  wear  stripes  or  plaits,  nor  a  short  per- 
son large  plaids  or  many  ruffles.  Fulness  is  becoming  to 
a  thin  form,  and  dark  colors  apparently  decrease  the  size 
of  a  fleshy  person. 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Where  measurements  are  given,  as  in  the  child's 
drawers,  call  a  pupil  of  appropriate  size  forward,  and  take 
the  measures  before  the  school. 


Fig.  113.  —  Misses'  underwaist. 

Fig.  1 1 3  represents  a  Misses'  underwaist,  bust  measure 
thirty-two  inches.  By  re-drawing  in  one-inch  squares  the 
exact  size  (not  allowing  for  seams)  will  be  obtained,  and 
may  be  used  as  a  demonstration  lesson  to  show  the  differ- 
ent parts  of  a  waist,  their  size,  shape,  and  proportion, 


TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT.  I /I 

also  to  show  how  the  parts  should  join  ;  notches  may  be 
made  at  the  waist-line  or  at  the  top  as  preferred. 

Squared  paper  is  of  great  assistance  in  drafting;  a 
miniature  pattern  may  be  drawn  by  using  fourth-of-an- 
inch  squares  as  inch  'squares,  thus  giving  the  pupils  the 
proportions  of  the  garment.  Doll's  patterns  are  con- 
venient, as  they  take  up  less  room,  yet  give  the  pupils 
the  shape  and  proportions  of  the  garment,  and  show 
how  the  seams  should  be  placed  together.  One  of  the 
first  lessons  in  cutting  may  be  a  doll's  two-breadth  apron, 
cut  from  old  exercise  paper;  the  paper  may  also  be  used 
for  the  bib. 

The  pupils  should  be  allowed  to  take  home  the  patterns 
they  draft,  as  they  are  appreciated  by  the  parents. 

Many  teachers  think  that  dress  drafting  should  be 
taught  in  the  last  part  of  the  High  School  course  or 
in  the  Normal  School.  If  younger  pupils  are  taught  a 
system  of  drafting,  they  often  have  not  sufficient  judg- 
ment to  apply  the  knowledge  gained 


COURSE    OF    SEWING. 

The  following  course  of  sewing,  drafting  and  cutting 
has  been  found  practical  in  a  grammar  school  course  of 
six  years,  but  it  may  be  re-arranged  and  adapted  to  a 
shorter  course. 

FIRST    YEAR. 

Position  of  the  pupils  while  sewing. 

Method  of  threading  needle,  making  a  knot,  and  using 
the  thimble. 

Drills. 

Basting. 

Coarse  button-hole  stitch  on  a  folded  edge  of  cloth. 

Overcasting. 

Running. 

Stitching. 

Turning,  basting  and  hemming  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
hems. 

Practice  in  cutting  and  putting  together  a  paper  or 
cloth  sample  of  a  two-breadth  apron. 

Instruction  on  the  use  of  needles,  thread,  thimbles  and 
cloth. 

Examination. 

Suitable  articles  to  make.  —  Bags,  towels,  sewing  aprons, 
drawers  and  two-breadth  aprons. 

SECOND    YEAR. 
Review. 

Fine  button-hole  stitch  on  a  folded  edge  of  cloth. 
French  hem  on  damask. 
Gathering,  and  placing  of  gathers. 
Half-backstitching. 


TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT.  173 

Overhanding. 

Putting  on  bands  by  stitching  and  hemming. 

Running  and  a  backstitch. 

Turning,  basting  and  hemming  one-inch  hems. 

Practice  in  drafting  and  cutting  pockets  and  child's  bib. 

Instruction  on  the  manufacture  of  needles,  thimbles 
and  emery. 

Examination. 

Suitable  articles  to  make.  —  Skirts,  drawers,  aprons, 
doll's  clothes,  sheets,  pillow-cases  and  table-linen. 

THIRD    YEAR. 

Review. 

Blanket-stitch. 

Button-holes  in  cotton  cloth. 

Buttons. 

Catch-stitch. 

Darning  a  straightway  tear  or  cut  in  cotton  cloth. 

Double  gathering. 

French  seam. 

Lace  sewed  on. 

Loops. 

Plackets. 

Practice  in  weaving. 

Wide  hems. 

Practice  in  drafting  and  cutting  a  night-dress  yoke  and 
child's  drawers. 

Instruction  on  the  manufacture  of  scissors,  pins,  buttons, 
hooks  and  eyes. 

Examination. 

Suitable  articles  to  make.  -  -  Dresses,  night-dresses, 
flannel  skirts,  etc. 


1/4  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

FOURTH    YEAR. 
Review. 

Bias  piecing. 

Button-holes  in  woollen  cloth. 

Chain-stitch. 

Darning  a  bias  and  a  corner-tear. 

Darning  on  s  ockinet. 

Double  gathering  overhanded  to  a  band. 

Facings. 

Gussets. 

Hooks  and  eyes. 

Loops  of  tape. 

Outline-stitch. 

Patching  on  cotton  cloth. 

Plaiting. 

Scalloped  edge. 

Shirring. 

Straightway  fell. 

Practice  in  drafting  and  cutting  a  gored  skirt  and 
child's  tier. 

Instruction  on  the  growth  and  manufacture  of  thread, 
cotton  and  wool. 

Examination. 

FIFTH    YEAR. 
Review. 
Bias-fell. 
Corners  mitred. 

Darning  tear  in  woollen  cloth  with  silk,  ravellings  or  hair. 
Edgings  sewed  on  and  corners  turned. 
Embroidery  knots. 
Eyelet-holes. 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.  175 

Feather-stitch. 

Gathers  set  into  a  band. 

Grafting. 

Hem-stitch. 

Honey-combing. 

Marking. 

Patching  on  calico,  gingham  and  woollen  cloth. 

Piping. 

Ruffles  faced  on. 

Slip  or  blind-stitch. 

Stocking-web  stitch. 

Tucking. 

Whipping. 

Practice  in  drafting  and  cutting  drawers  and  child's 
waist. 

Instruction  on  the  growth  and  manufacture  of  silk  and 
linen. 

Examination. 

SIXTH    YEAR. 
Review. 

Drafting,  cutting  and  making  of  garments,  also  cutting 
from  patterns. 
Examination. 


PRACTICAL    SUGGESTIONS. 

Although  teachers  may  have  different  methods  in 
regard  to  details  ;  those  presented  in  the  lessons  have 
been  found  to  be  practical  for  service,  and  easily  acquired 
by  the  pupils. 

In  beginning  with  a  class  of  young  pupils,  close 
attention  should  be  given  to  the  details,  or  the  bright, 
intelligent  pupil  alone  will  comprehend.  In  an  average 
class,  one-fourth  are  quick  to  learn,  one-half  are  of 
average  ability,  and  the  remaining  fourth  may  be  called 
dull.  A  teacher  should  not  judge  the  proficiency  of  the 
class  by  either  extreme.  The  best  work  does  not  always 
represent  the  greatest  effort.  Poor  work  may  be 
excusable  in  some  cases,  especially  from  pupils  who  have 
come  from  homes  of  ignorance  and  poverty. 

The  spirit  of  the  pupils  depend  greatly  upon  the 
disposition  of  the  teacher.  A  smiling;  face  will  often 
accomplish  more  than  severe  words.  Commendation  for 
worthy  efforts  helps  the  pupils  wonderfully,  and  care 
should  be  taken  not  to  discourage  the  dull  pupils. 

Experience  teaches  that  a  child,  when  working  on  a  real 
object  of  use,  not  only  does  better  work,  but  gets  more 
good  from  it,  through  the  arousing  of  interest  and  the 
developing  of  self-respect,  than  when  simply  practising 
stitches.  The  principle  of  working  with  a  definite  aim  is 
important,  though  trial-pieces  are  necessary  at  first,  for  a 
child  should  not  be  allowed  to  spoil  a  garment,  or  think 
that  poor  sewing  will  do  if  only  the  garment  can  be  put 
together.  An  incentive  to  the  child  to  do  her  best  on 


TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT. 

the  trial-piece,  is  the  knowledge  that  she  may  apply  the 
acquired  skill  to  some  useful  article.  The  child  should 
not  be  discouraged  by  being  required  to  practise  longer 
than  is  necessary.  After  she  has  done  as  well  as  she  is 
able,  allow  her  to  bring  from  home  an  unmade  garment 
requiring  the  necessary  stitches.  The  pupils  may  be 
stimulated  in  stitching,  by  the  promise  that  they  may 
outline  their  names  or  some  design  on  cloth.  As  a 
reward  for  good  work,  the  pupils  may  be  allowed  to 
dress  dolls,  or  have  their  work  mounted  and  labelled  for 
exhibition.  Pupils  will  often  learn  readily  from  a  com- 
panion, and  those  who  first  learn  the  stitches  may  be 
permitted  to  aid  the  others,  and  also  to  show  their  work, 
if  done  nicely,  to  the  class. 

Dark  days.  —  Teachers  should  be  careful  that  the  pupils 
do  not  strain  their  eyes  by  working  in  a  poor  light.  On 
dark  days,  talks,  which  are  of  great  assistance  and  benefit 
may  be  given  on  relevant  subjects,  as  needles,  thread, 
cotton,  wool,  silk  and  linen,  their  manufacture  and  use 
(see  page  222),  and  on  the  making  of  garments.  A  dark 
day  may  also  be  employed  in  teaching  the  pupils  to  make 
knots,  including  square  and  bow-knots. 

A  shopping  expedition  will  greatly  interest  the  pupils, 
for  instance  :  —  "What  kind  of  a  store  shall  we  visit  to 
purchase  our  sewing  materials  ?  "  "  What  shall  we  buy  ?  " 
"  How  much  material  shall  we  get  for  a  bag,  apron  or 
skirt  ?  "  "  What  kind  of  material  ?  "  "  Why  ?  "  "  Are  we 
ready  to  go  home?"  "  O,  no,  we  must  have  other 
things."  Mention  them  ;  tell  why  different  numbers  of 
needles  are  needed  for  different  materials,  etc.  Question 
on  the  difference  in  the  quality  of  materials,  and  explain 
that  a  good  quality  is  generally  cheaper  in  the  end. 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

Fancy-work.  --  In  the  public  schools  embroidery  or 
fancy-work  is  not  generally  encouraged  ;  but  a  little 
attention  given  to  it  before  Christmas  is  greatly  enjoyed 
by  the  children.  They  may  be  allowed  to  bring  the 

presents  they  are  pre- 
paring, or  class  lessons 
may  be  given  on  the 
making  of  needle-books, 

Fig.  I  14.  — Scalloped       pin-balls,    scissors     and 
'  embroidered  edge.  ,,.     ,,  T 

thimble  cases,  etc.  Les- 
sons on  tissue  paper  work  afford  much  pleasure,  and  here 
is  an  opportunity  for  a  practical  lesson  on  the  combination 
of  colors.  Simple  embroidery  may  be  taught.  Fig.  114 
represents  a  scalloped  embroidered  edge,  which  is  easily 
acquired  by  a  pupil  who  has  practised  the  blanket-stitch. 

Scissors.  —  It  is  not  advisable  for  young  pupils  to  have 
scissors  in  their  bags,  as  they  lack  judgment  in  their  use. 
Class  scissors  should  be  kept  in  a  strong  box  lined  with 
felt  or  velvet.  Pupils  may  practise  cutting  on  paper  to 
advantage,  so  as  to  become  accustomed  to  the  use  of 
scissors.  When  many  button-holes  of  the  same  length 
are  to  be  cut,  the  annoyance  caused  by  the  ends  of  the 
scissors  catching  in  the  cloth,  or  by  the  screw  loosening, 
may  be  prevented  by  soldering  the  screw  at  the  required 
length. 

Dropping  articles.  —  To  prevent  the  disturbance  caused 
by  dropping  articles,  have  the  pupils  keep  their  spools, 
emery,  etc.,  in  their  bags  during  the  sewing  lesson. 

Sinistrous  pupils.  -  The  broadening  of  the  popular 
mind  begins  to  change  many  formerly  fixed  opinions.  One 
of  these  is  in  regard  to  the  left  hand.  Formerly  a  sinistrous 
person  was  considered  an  oddity.  Now,  instead  of  teach- 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT. 


179 


Fig. 


15.  —  Button-hole  worked 
with  the  left  hand. 


ing  the  exclusive  use  of  the 
right  hand,  left-handed  pupils 
are  taught  the  use  of  both, 
as  an  ambidextrous  person 
has  many  advantages  over  a 
person  confined  to  the  use  of 
one  hand.  Fig.  1 1 5  repre- 
sents the  needle  and  thread 
in  position  for  working  a  but- 
ton-hole with  the  left  hand. 

Sampler.  -  To  make  a 
sampler  similar  to  Fig.  1 16,  a 
piece  of  cotton  cloth  twenty- 
four  inches  long  and  eighteen 
inches  wide  is  required. 

Make  a  narrow  hem  at  the  sides.  At  the  middle  of 
the  lower  edge  cut  in  seven  or  eight  inches,  hem  the 
opening,  and  set-in  a  gusset. 

At  the  right-hand  lower  edge  hem-stitch  an  inch  hem  ; 
above  make  two  tucks  one-fourth  of  an  inch  deep,  the 
first  tuck  sewed  with  a  running  stitch,  the  second  tuck 
with  a  running  and  a  backstitch  ;  then  make  a  narrow 
straightway  fell.  Sew  a  whipped,  cambric  ruffle,  trimmed 
with  Hamburg  edging,  to  the  lower  edge  of  the  hem. 

Tear  off  one  inch  from  the  left-hand  lower  edge,  and 
face  on  a  cambric  ruffle,  having  a  lace  edge  ;  hemstitch 
the  facing.  Above  make  two  tucks  one-fourth  of  an  inch 
deep,  the  first  tuck  sewed  by  stitching,  the  second  tuck 
by  half-backstitching  ;  then  make  a  narrow  French  seam. 
Fasten  the  opening  with  a  hook  and  eye,  placed  at  the 
middle  of  the  edges  of  the  hems  ;  back  of  the  eye  place  a 
loop  for  a  fastening. 


Fig.   I  16.  —  Sampler. 


1 80 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.  181 

Above  the  fell  and  French  seam  darn  two  straightway- 
tears,  one  with  vertical,  and  one  with  slanting  stitches  ; 
also  a  bias-tear  and  a  corner-tear.  Above  the  darns  sew  a 
patch  by  hemming,  and  one  by  overhanding,  overcasting 
the  edges  of  the  latter.  Chain-stitch  a  vine  on  the  lower 
inch  hem,  and  outline  a  similar  vine  on  the  opposite  side. 
Decorate  the  vines  with  embroidery  knots. 

At  the  middle  of  the  upper  edge  make  a  placket  four 
inches  deep.  On  one  of  the  edges  put  on  a  binding  by 
setting-in  or  by  overhanding,  making  a  row  of  double 
gathering.  Plait  the  opposite  side,  and  put  on  a  binding 
by  stitching  and  hemming.  Fasten  the  placket  with  a 
four-holed  button  and  a  button-hole.  Make  an  eyelet-hole 
at  one  of  the  outer  ends  of  the  bindings,  and  sew  a  boot- 
button  at  the  opposite  end.  Above  the  four-holed  button 
a  loop  of  tape  may  be  sewed. 

A  flannel  patch,  with  the  edges  blanket-stitched,  and 
samples  of  stockinet  darning  may  be  tacked  on  to  the 
sampler.  The  name  may  be  worked  from  the  alphabets 
on  a  piece  of  scrim,  the  edges  finished  by  feather-stitch- 
ing, and  then  tacked  to  the  sampler. 

If  desired,  the  different  methods  of  basting  may  be 
shown  on  the  tucks. 

Blackboard.  —  A  blackboard  should  be  divided  by  light- 
colored  lines,  into  inch  squares,  using  a  different  color  for 
every  ninth  or  twelfth  line.  A  permanent  blackboard  may 
be  made  by  marking  out  the  squares  with  paint.  If  there 
is  a  lack  of  blackboard  room  for  this,  mounted  blackboard- 
cloth  may  be  prepared,  and  hung  on  the  wall  or  placed  on  an 
easel.  The  use  of  the  blackboard  is  of  great  assistance  in 
impressing  upon  the  pupils  the  size  and  form  of  the 
stitches,  and  in  teaching  the  dimensions  in  cutting. 


182 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Drawing  lessons  should  be  given  in  connection  with 
sewing  ;  they  serve  not  only  as  a  means  for  teaching  the 
stitches,  but  also  assist  in  training  the  eye  and  the  hand. 

A  free-hand  diagram,  drawn  on  the  blackboard  by  the 
teacher,  in  connection  with  the  demonstration  lesson,  will 


Fig.  I  17.  —  Stitching. 

excite  the  interest  and  gain  the  attention  of  the  pupils. 
The  name  of  the  lesson  should  be  plainly  written  on  the 
blackboard.  The  copying  of  the  diagram  by  the  pupils 


Fig.  118.  —  Hemming. 

'will  be  found  very  effectual  in  teaching  the  size,  regu- 
larity and  proportion  of  the  stitches.  After  a  little  prac- 
tice and  help  the  pupils  will  be  able  to  draw  more  difficult 
stitches,  and  give  simple  sketches  of  their  work  ;  thereby 
exercising  their  judgment  and  taste. 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT. 


83 


1 

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N, 

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Fig.   119.  —  Overhanding. 


To  aid  teachers,  who 
are  not  accustomed  to 
free-hand  drawing,  the 
diagram  may  be  marked 
out  previous  to  the  les- 
son with  black  crayon 
or  a  soft  slate-pencil  ; 
if  this  is  clone  lightly 
it  will  not  be  percepti- 
ble to  the  pupils. 

By  following  this  plan  the  different  points  of  the  lesson 
can  be  easily  illustrated,  as  the  lesson  proceeds;  and  it 
has  been  found  more  effectual  than  a  previously  com- 
pleted drawing. 

Figures  117  to  121 
are  given  as  simple  dia- 
grams suitable  to  be 
drawn  on  the  blackboard. 
They  can  be  easily  en- 
larged by  re-drawing 
them  in  inch  squares. 
The  lines  represent  the 
threads  of  the  cloth. 
Different  colored  chalk 
should  be  used  in  repre- 
senting the  joining  of 
the  thread  ;  two  colors 
are  also  necessary  in 
marking  to  plainly  show 
that  the  stitches  are 
crossed  in  the  same  di- 
rection. 


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Fig.  120. —  Darning  a  thin  place 
in  cloth. 


184 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


X 


When  giving  a  lesson  on 
drawing  the  stitches  or  gar- 
ment, squared  paper  or  sec- 
tional exercise  books  will  be 
found  helpful  ;  children  will 
also  be  interested,  if  allowed 

to  draw  the  stitches  on  the 

Fig.  1 2 1. -Marking.  blackboard. 

Compositions.  —  The  various  forms  of  manual  training 
furnish  subjects  for  language  work,  both  oral  and  written, 
and  sewing  as  a  distinct  and  recognized  form  of  manual 
training,  should  receive,  from  both  the  sewing  teacher  and 
the  class  teacher,  attention  as  a  means  for  the  expression 
of  thought  in  composition  work.  Compositions  should  be 
required  on  topics  selected  from  the  various  subjects  in 
the  sewing  lessons.  The  topics  for  the  lower  classes 
may  be  given  on  the  different  stitches,  and  for  the  older 
classes,  on  drafting,  cutting  and  making  of  garments. 
"The  benefits  derived  from  a  knowledge  of  sewing," 
"the  source  and  manufacture  of  materials  used  in  sew- 
ing," "history  of  a  garment,"  and  kindred  subjects  may 
be  suggested  as  additional  topics,  according  to  the  line  of 
work  pursued. 

If  the  pupils  have  taken  drawing  in  connection  with 
sewing,  they  will  be  able  to  illustrate  their  compositions. 
The  compositions  should  be  looked  over  by  the  sewing 
teacher  to  determine  the  correctness  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  pupils. 

Examinations.  —  Oral  or  written  examinations  may  be 
given  ;  if  the  latter,  they  may  take  the  form  of  a  compo- 
sition. The  preparation  of  the  trial-piece  is  a  good  test 
in  regard  to  the  simple  stitches. 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.  185 

Exhibitions.  —  An  exhibition  at  the  close  of  the  year's 
work  is  a  great  incentive,  especially  when  all  the  sewing 
of  the  year,  from  the  trial-pieces  to  the  cut  and  made 
garments  of  all  descriptions,  is  exhibited. 

Mounting  models.  —  The  models  obtained  from  the  les- 
sons may  be  mounted  for  exhibition  in  a  kindergarten 
mounting-book  or  a  scrap-book.  An  inexpensive  book 
may  be  made  of  manilla  paper,  securing  the  leaves  together 
with  ribbons  or  fasteners,  and  made  attractive  by  a 
bright  cover.  A  class-banner  may  be  made  of  the  models 
by  sewing  them  together,  then  lining  and  mounting  them. 
The  models  may  also  be  mounted  on  a  strip  of  cardboard, 
folded  backward  and  forward,  the  last  fold  being  doubled 
over  the  others.  Sample  models  from  each  class  may  be 
arranged  on  a  large  sheet  of  cardboard,  with  the  pupils' 
names  written  on  labels.  Inexpensive  stands  may  be 
made  for  the  exhibiting  of  dresses,  by  fastening  a  stand- 
ard, in  the  form  of  a  cross,  into  a  solid  block  of  wood. 
The  cross-bar  for  the  shoulders  of  the  dress  may  be 
straight  or  curved.  For  a  child's  dress,  the  block  of 
wood  should  be  eight  inches  square,  the  upright  thirty 
inches  high,  and  the  cross-bar  eleven  inches  wide.  For  a 
larger  dress,  the  block  should  be  ten  inches  square,  the 
upright  fifty  inches  high,  and  the  cross-piece  seventeen 
inches  wide. 

Boys'  sewing.  —  Boys  are  now  being  taught  sewing  in 
the  lower  classes  of  many  of  the  public  schools,  and  it 
has  been  found  helpful  in  forming  habits  of  quietness, 
neatness  and  accuracy,  besides  teaching  them-  to  repair 
their  clothes.  Boys  are  not  generally  immaculate,  and 
colored  materials  are  more  satisfactory  than  white.  To 
interest  boys  there  must  be  a  great  variety  in  the  work. 


Of 


I  86  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

A  successful  teacher  of  boys  begins  by  teaching  the 
stitches  on  colored  canvas,  following  with  a  small  checked 
gingham  bag,  three  or  more  stitches  being  taken  in  each 
check.  Then  they  learn  the  sewing-on  of  buttons  ;  a 
gingham  apron  made  for  mother  ;  a  flannel  blouse  ; 
splashers  ;  darning,  first  on  canvas  or  cardboard,  then  on 
cloth  ;  patching  ;  the  working  of  the  alphabet  and  figures 
on  canvas,  etc.  An  interesting  outline  map  may  also  be 
made,  by  tracing  the  map  on  paper  and  pricking  the  out- 
line on  drab  cambric  ;  the  pricking  is  done  with  a  coarse 
needle  over  a  piece  of  heavy  cardboard  or  felt.  The  land 
may  be  outlined  with  white  knitting  cotton,  the  rivers  with 
finer  cotton,  the  mountains  represented  by  the  knot-stitch, 
the  principle  cities  located  with  red  embroidery  cotton, 
etc.  Animals  or  any  outline  picture  may  be  traced  on 
cambric. 

Collection  of  work.  —  At  the  close  of  each  lesson,  the 
work  should  be  collected  in  such  a  manner  that  it  may  be 
readily  distributed.  This  may  be  done  by  having  a  large 
bag  for  each  row,  always  beginning  to  collect  at  one  end, 
and  to  distribute  at  the  other. 

The  waste-basket  should  be  passed  at  the  end  of  the 
sewing  lesson  for  the  scraps  of  thread,  etc. 


KINDERGARTEN    SEWING. 

Sewing  over  outlines  pricked  on  cards  gives  profitable 
variety  to  manual  work.  The  object  of  this  kind  of 
work  is  various.  By  it  the  child  acquires  the  use  of  the 
needle.  He  becomes  familiar  with  the  elements  of  form, 
the  different  lines,  angles  and  geometric  figures,  and  by 
constantly  working  with  them  according  to  certain  laws 
of  harmony  and  arrangement,  he  is  enabled  to  apply 
these  laws  in  the  expression  of  new  forms,  fostering  the 
inventive  and  artistic  sense.  The  child's  sense  of  color 
is  developed,  as  he  is  guided  by  the  teacher  in  the  selec- 
tion of  colors,  and  is  shown  wherein  they  blend  harmoni- 
ously. The  sewing  serves  also  as  a  most  efficient  means 
for  illustrating  any  subject  under  consideration. 

This  work  assists  in  training  the  character,  by  the 
exercise  of  the  child's  three-fold  nature,  physical,  mental 
and  moral.  Physically  he  gains  control  of  his  muscles 
and  acquires  dexterity.  His  mental  power  of  observation 
is  trained  by  the  close  observance  required  in  the  proper 
representation  of  surrounding  objects.  His  moral  being 
is  developed  by  the  necessity  of  exactness,  patience  and 
care,  and  by  the  privilege  that  the  child  has  of  giving 
of  his  efforts  in  the  form  of  the  simple  little  things  that 
he  makes. 

The  first  lesson  in  kindergarten  -sewing  should  not 
exceed  half-an-hour  in  length,  and  may  be  given  on  work- 
ing with  worsted  a  circle  perforated  on  a  card.  The 
teacher  should  be  furnished  with  long-eyed,  blunt-pointed 
needles,  and  a  thread-case  filled  with  split  zephyr,  silk, 


I  88  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

or  coarse  sewing  cotton  (the  latter  can  be  obtained  at  a 
kindergarten  supply  store).  Before  the  lesson  the  teacher 
should  have  all  preparations  completed,  the  needles 
threaded  with  short  lengths  of  worsted,  which  is  tied 
into  the  needle  to  prevent  its  becoming  unthreaded,  the 
circle  pricked  on  the  cards,  and  the  work  begun. 

A  simple  explanation*  should  precede  the  work,  telling 
what  is  to  be  done;  why  the  knot  is  on  the  under  side; 
what  we  will  call  the  circle,  e.g.  let  us  call  this  circle  a 
path,  and  build  a  fence  on  it,  so  that  we  may  keep  our 
sheep  inside,  or  some  other  simple  illustration  to  arouse 
the  interest  and  lend  a  zest  to  the  work.  Now  show  the 
pupil  how  to  put  the  needle  down  through  one  hole,  which 
hides  the  point;  let  him  look  for  the  point,  which  he 
finds  by  turning  over  the  card;  bring  the  point  up  through 
the  next  hole,  pointing  it  towards  the  ceiling.  This  ex- 
planation may  be  given  in  the  form  of  a  play  of  hide  and 
seek,  and  must  necessarily  be  repeated  several  times;  indi- 
vidual attention  should  be  given  to  each  one.  Before  the 
work  goes  very  far  numerous  accidents  may  occur,  as  the 
worsted  breaking,  the  card  tearing,  etc.,  but  we  must  re- 
member that  this  is  the  first  lesson,  and  the  little  fingers 
are  entirely  unaccustomed  to  such  work,  and  a  real  effort 
is  made  by  them.  Before  working  around  the  second 
time,  further  illustrate,  e.g.  we  have  now  partly  finished 
our  fence,  but  what  are  all  these  openings  between  the 
stitches  ?  We  must  fill  them  in,  by  going  around  again, 
so  our  sheep  cannot  get  out. 

The  advancement  necessarily  will  be  slow,  but  in  time 
they  will  be  able  to  follow  any  pricked  line.  The  back- 
ward may  be  stimulated  by  praising  the  best  work,  and 
the  reward  of  taking  the  cards  home  is  a  great  incentive. 


TEACHER'S    SUPPLEMENT.  189 

Encourage  them  to  thread  their  own  needles,  using  a  few 
fibres  of  cotton-batting  to  cover  the  ends  of  the  worsted; 
and  also  encourage  them  to  fasten  their  thread;  this  is 
done  by  putting  the  needle  into  the  nearest  stitch  on  the 
wrong  side,  again  putting  the  needle  in,  and  leaving  a 
loop,  pass  the  needle  through  the  loop,  and  draw  closely. 

Try  to  follow  nature,  as  much  as  possible,  in  the  selec- 
tion of  colors,  as,  work  an  apple  with  red  or  yellow,  and 
have  a  brown  stem. 

A  convenient  case  for  holding  the  worsted,  silk  and 
cotton,  cut  into  the  required  lengths,  may  be  made  by 
taking  a  piece  of  silesia  (or  any  material)  about  twenty- 
seven  inches  long,  and  eighteen  inches  wide.  Have  a 
centre  piece  sixteen  inches  long  and  fourteen  inches  wide. 
Bind  the  edges  of  each  piece,  and  stitch  them  together 
with  rows  of  stitching  one  inch  or  less  apart,  according 
to  the  kind  of  thread  to  be  placed  in  it.  At  one  end 
place  flannel  leaves  for  needles,  and  at  the  other  make 
a  full  pocket  for  odds  and  ends.  When  the  lesson  is 
through  the  ends  may  be  folded  over  before  rolling,  and 
everything  is  secure. 

It  is  well  to  allow  the  children  to  select  their  colors, 
draw  the  worsted  from  the  case,  and  make  their  own 
combinations. 

If  the  children  do  the  pricking  they  need  to  be  sup- 
plied with  a  pricking  needle  or  a  shawl  pin,  and  a  pad 
made  of  heavy  felt,  glued  to  cardboard.  The  holes  should 
be  one-eighth  of  an  inch  or  farther  apart. 

Cards  may  be  either  stamped  with  the  designs,  or 
merely  pricked.  There  should  be  a  separate  card  for 
each  series.  When  many  copies  of  a  design  are  needed, 
a  cardboard  pattern  may  be  cut,  and  the  design  traced  by 


1 90 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


it;  or  a  hektograph  may  be  used.  The  designs  may  also 
be  reproduced  by  using  tracing  and  impression  paper.  A 
pantograph  is  very  convenient  for  enlarging  or  reducing 
designs. 

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TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT. 


The  illustrations  on  pages  190  to  197  will  give  an  idea  of 
kindergarten  work.  Before  beginning  the  regular  series 
of  linear  sewing,  the  circular  course  (page  195)  is  gener- 
ally given,  thus  expressing  the  ideas  of  the  first  gift 


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1 92 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


lessons.      Ideas   of    color   may  be   further   impressed    by 
filling  in  the  sewed  forms  with  colored  crayons. 

Linear  sewing,  as  illustrated  on  pages  190  to  194,  begins 
with  the  simplest  elements  of  all  geometric  forms  or 
designs,  and  leads  by  combinations  to  complex  figures 
in  artistic  work. 


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TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT. 


193 


The  ist  series  embraces  the  vertical  line,  then  its 
opposite,  the  horizontal ;  combinations  making  angles. 
Combinations  of  angles  to  make  a  border,  stair  pattern, 
etc.  The  geometric  figure  from  the  same  angle  follows; 
another  combination  makes  the  Greek  cross. 


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194 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


2nd  series.  —  Combinations  of  the  same  angles,  part 
of  the  lines  twice  the  length  of  the  others. 

3d  series.  —  Combinations  of  vertical  and  horizontal 
lines  of  unequal  length,  the  vertical  twice  the  length  of 
the  horizontal. 

4th  series.  —  Combinations  of  vertical  and  horizontal 
lines,  the  horizontal  twice  the  length  of  the  vertical. 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT. 


195 


5th  series.  — The  oblique  line,  and  its  combination  into 
angles,  borders  and  geometric  figures. 

6th  series.  —  (No  illustration.)  Combinations  of  the 
vertical  with  the  oblique  of  a  square. 

/th  series.  —  (No  illustration.)  Combinations  of  the 
horizontal  with  the  oblique  of  a  square. 

8th  series.  —  Combinations  of  oblique  lines  of  different 
lengths,  one  line  twice  the  length  of  the  other. 


196 


SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


Qth  series.  —  Combinations  of  vertical,  horizontal  and 
oblique  lines. 

loth  series.  —  Introduces  the  diagonal  of  a  vertical 
oblong. 

nth  series.  —  Introduces  the  diagonal  of  a  horizontal 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT. 


I97 


oblong,  and  following  patterns  are  given   combining  the 
elements  of  series  10  and  11. 

1 2th  series.  —  Combinations  of  vertical  and  horizontal 
lines  of  unequal  length  with  oblique;  the  oblique  being 
the  diagonal  of  vertical  oblong. 


198  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

1 3th  series.  —  Combinations  of  vertical  and  horizontal 
lines  of  unequal  length  with  oblique  ;  the  oblique  being 
the  diagonal  of  horizontal  oblong. 

1 4th  series.  —  Equilateral  triangles  and  their  combi- 
nations. 

Followed  by  more  complex  combinations  leading  to 
greater  artistic  efforts.  The  illustrations  on  page  196 
represent  the  seedling  maple,  and  the  full-grown  leaf;  the 
apple  leaf,  bud,  blossom  and  fruit.  The  illustrations  on 
page  197  represents  the  bee  and  honey-comb;  the  cocoon, 
moth  and  silkworm;  the  snail  and  his  shell;  the  bird  and 
her  nest.  These  may  be  enlarged  (page  202),  and  used  in 
connection  with  nature  lessons. 


PRIMARY    SEWING. 

The  tactile  sense,  a  child's  sense  of  touch,  should  be 
developed  from  the  very  first,  and  should  be  cultivated 
throughout  his  entire  course  of  education. 

The  methods  of  kindergarten  teaching  are  based  on 
this  idea,  and  it  should  be  continued  in  the  primary  and 
again  in  the  grammar  schools.  One  projection  of  this 
idea  has  been  the  adopting  of  clay  modeling,  paper  folding, 
etc.,  in  many  primary  schools.  As  the  course  advances, 
the  rough,  coarse  materials  should  give  place  to  finer  ones  ; 
so  the  weaving  of  paper,  sewing  with  embroider}'  needles 
and  worsted  on  cardboard  should  be  supplanted  by  finer 
needles  and  thread  and  the  use  of  cloth.  There  should 
be  no  break  between  the  sewing  of  the  kindergarten  and 
that  of  the  grammar  grades,  especially  as  the  knowledge 
gained  in  the  primary  facilitates  and  advances  the  work 
in  the  grammar. 

No  objection  can  be  raised  because  of  mixed  classes,  as 
experience  teaches  that  primary  sewing  is  enjoyed  by 
boys  as  much  as  by  girls,  and  prepares  the  boys  for  their 
manual  work  in  the  grammar  school. 

The  educational  value  of  sewing  in  the  primary  school 
is  of  more  importance  than  the  utility. 

Educational  Sewing-  Squares  for  Primary  Work.  —  One  of 
the  various  objections  to  primary  sewing  has  been  the 
difficulty  in  preparing  useful  and  interesting  work.  The 
"  Educational  Sewing  Squares  "  meet  this  difficulty.  The 
designs  are  representations  of  objects  and  geometric 
forms,  and  in  the  sewing  of  them,  the  child  not  only 


2OO  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

learns  the  stitches,  but  becomes  familiar  with  the  forms. 
The  child's  eye  and  hand  are  trained  by  following  the 
stitches  which  are  plainly  marked  on  the  cloth,  and  thus  the 
pupil  is  prepared  for  free-hand  sewing.  The  work  is  pro- 


Folding  line. 


—  Basting  line. 
Hemming  line. 


, _ Cutting  line. 

Fig.   130.  —  Hemming. 

and  the  squares,  when  finished,  may  be  sewed 
together  for  a  doll's  table-covering  or  bed-spread. 

The  "  Educational  Sewing  Squares  "  consist  of  a  sheet 
of  white  cotton  cloth,  twenty-one  by  thirty-six  inches,  on 
which  are  stamped  thirty-two  designs,  each  design  being 


-  Cutting  line. 
—  Folding  line. 


—  Cutting  line. 


-^  Overhanding  line. 


—  Basting   line 
~  Cutting  line. 

Fig.   131.  —  Overhanding. 

in  a  four-inch  square.  At  the  sides  are  strips  for  hemming 
and  Overhanding  (for  samples  of  which  see  Figures  130 
and  131)  ;  lines  for  cutting,  folding,  creasing  and  basting 
are  marked  on  each  strip.  At  the  upper  side  are  four- 
holed  buttons  (Fig.  132).  Above  the  strip  of  buttons  is 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT. 


2OI 


the  title  of  the  squares  ;  to  strengthen  the  cloth  this 
should  be  folded  under  and  basted,  before  sewing  the 
buttons. 

The  squares  are  to  be  cut  on  the  dash-lines.  The  edges 
of  the  first  twenty-two  squares  are  marked  for  overcasting 
(pages  204—214) ;  the  edges  of  the  next  two  squares  are  for 
blanket-stitching  (page  215)  ;  the  next  four  squares  may 
be  either  overcast  or  blanket-stitched  (pages  216-217);  and 
the  last  four  squares  are  for  free-hand  sewing.  The  designs 
are  to  be  sewed  either  by  running  or  by  stitching  ;  there 
are  three  sizes  of  each  stitch,  the  aim  being  progression, 


Folding  line. 


_    Basting  line. 
-   Cutting  line. 


Fig,   132.  —  Buttons. 


Lessons.  —  Sewing  to  a  little  child  has  a  charm,  because 
mamma  does  it.  At  first,  especially  if  the  child  has  not 
attended  a  kindergarten,  it  is  difficult  for  the  little  hands 
to  use  the  needle,  thread,  thimble  and  cloth  ;  but  the 
work  is  attractive,  and  in  time  the  obstacles  will  be  over- 
come. 

The  first  lessons  should  be  spent  in  teaching  the  posi- 
tion of  the  body,  holding  of  the  work,  threading  of  the 
needle,  wearing  of  the  thimble,  making  knots,  and  fasten- 
ing the  thread  (see  General  Directions).  Explain  the  use 
of  the  eye  and  sharp  point  of  the  needle  ;  and  that  the 
thimble  is  worn  to  protect  the  finger  in  pushing  the  needle 


2O2  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

through  the  cloth,  the  indentations  holding  the  needle 
firmly.  Exercise  the  children  in  distinguishing  the  right 
hand  from  the  left.  After  supplying  each  child  with  a 
well-fitting  thimble,  have  them  find  the  longest  finger 
of  the  right  hand,  and  put  the  thimble  on,  pressing  it 
with  the  thumb.  The  needle  and  thimble  drill  (page  14) 
should  then  follow.  A  drill  on  the  stitch  should  be 
given  before  allowing  the  children  to  work  that  stitch 
on  the  squares. 

As  far  as  possible  the  squares  should  be  sewed  in  con- 
nection with  the  form. study,  drawing  and  color-work. 

For  a  demonstration  lesson  (page  163)  the  design  can 
be  easily  enlarged  by  dividing  it  into  squares,  and  drawing 
in  the  design  on  the  same  number  of  larger  squares.1 
For  this  purpose  squared  paper,  with  the  squares  from 
one-eighth  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  in  diameter,  can  be 
obtained  at  a  kindergarten  supply  store.  The  enlarged 
design  can  be  transferred  to  cloth  by  using  impression 
paper.  A  large  bone  needle  can  be  used  on  Java  canvas  ; 
if  this  kind  of  a  needle  is  not  easily  obtained,  a  netting- 
needle  can  be  used  by  soldering  the  openings  at  the  ends. 

The  length  of  time  given  to  a  lesson  should  depend 
upon  the  number  of  pupils  ;  with  a  class  rf  fifty  pupils 
some  teachers  prefer  to  teach  half  the  class  for  half  the 
alloted  time,  while  others  think  best  to  teach  the  entire 
class. 

A  coarse  needle  and  coarse  bright-colored  thread  are 
suitable  for  a  beginner  to  use  ;  finer  ones  may  be  used  as 
the  pupil  advances.  A  fast-colored  thread  is  necessary, 
as  the  squares  will  generally  need  washing  after  being 

1  It  is  necessary  to  enlarge  the  design  many  times,  that  the  lines  and 
dots  may  be  plainly  discerned  from  any  part  of  the  room. 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT.  2O3 

sewed.  Different  colored  thread  may  be  used  to  show 
degrees  of  proficiency.  Encourage  the  children  to  thread 
their  needles,  and  as  soon  as  they  succeed,  allow  them 
to  begin  their  work,  or  a  little  praise  for  success  will 
incite  the  backward. 

The  work  should  be  begun  at  an  advantageous  place, 
and  long  stitches  should  be  avoided  in  passing  from  one 
point  to  another. 

The  first  stitch  taught  is  overcasting,  as  the  first  work 
done  by  the  pupil  is  the  overcasting  of  the  edges  of  the 
squares  to  prevent  their  ravelling. 

Puckering  the  work,  especially  in  running,  must  be 
constantly  guarded  against.  To  aid  in  preventing  this, 
explain  that  the  work  must  be  smoothed  out  every  few 
stitches,  and  show,  on  a  piece  of  cloth,  how  the  work  will 
pucker  if  the  thread  is  drawn  tightly. 

The  more  advanced  pupils  may  use  the  Kensington 
outline-stitch  instead  of  stitching.  A  pretty  square  for 
the  centre  of  the  doll's  table-covering  or  bed-spread  may 
be  made  by  hemming  on  a  design  or  figure  cut  from 
cretonne  or  momie  cloth.  Some  of  the  pupils  in  the 
higher  classes  may  be  able  to  make  doll's  garments, 
patterns  of  which  may  be  obtained  from  page  158. 

The  distribution  and  collection  of  the  work  may  be 
facilitated  by  having  a  separate  box  for  each  row  ;  each 
child's  name  should  be  written  on  the  back  of  the  work, 
or  the  child  may  write  its  name  on  paper  and  pin  the 
paper  on  to  the  work  ;  then,  if  the  work  is  collected 
systematically,  it  can  be  readily  distributed  at  the  next 
lesson.  Some  teachers  prefer  for  each  child  to  have  a 
small  bag,  this  avoids  fitting  thimbles  at  each  lesson. 


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COURSE    OF    SEWING    FOR    INDUSTRIAL 
SCHOOLS. 

In  a  large  school  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  test  class,  in 
which  the  pupils  are  examined  as  to  their  ability  and 
proficiency. 

PREPARATORY    DEPARTMENT. 

("EDUCATIONAL    SEWING    SQUARES"    IN    USE.) 

Overcasting  of  the  squares  and  running  of  the  designs, 
followed  by  the  same  stitches  on  basted  patchwork. 

Stitching  of  the  designs,  and  the  stamped,  overhanding 
stitch  on  the  cloth  ;  stitching  or  overhanding  of  the 
squares  together. 

The  overhanding  together  of  the  covers  of  a  silk 
needle-book.  If  silk  or  some  fine  material  is  used,  the 
children  make  greater  efforts,  also  if  the  completed  article 
is  to  be  given  to  them. 

The  blanket-stitch  on  the  squares,  and  on  pieces  of 
flannel  for  leaves  of  the  needle-book. 

The  stamped,  hemming  stitch  on  the  cloth,  and  then  on 
cheap  handkerchiefs. 

Stitching  the  seams  of  a  small  bag  made  of  nice  material. 

Overcasting  the  seams  of  the  bag. 

Hemming  of  the  bag. 

Catch-stitching  on  canvas,  then  on  the  outside  seams 
of  the  bag,  with  bright-colored  embroidery  silk.  The 
bag  on  completion  is  given  to  the  pupil. 

Darning  over  card-board. 

Doll's  clothes. 


TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT.  221 

ADVANCED    CLASSES. 

(MAIN  SCHOOL.) 

The  more  advanced  pupils  may  be  divided  into  four 
grades  in  plain  sewing,  with  special  classes  for  button-hole 
making,  millinery,  and  embroidery  work. 

FIRST    GRADE. 

Unbleached  cotton  undergarments. 
Colored  flannel  skirts,  and  towels. 
Long-sleeved,  dark-colored  aprons. 

SECOND    GRADE. 

Half-bleached  cotton  undergarments. 
Gray  flannel  skirts,  and  handkerchiefs. 
Light-colored  calico  aprons. 

THIRD    GRADE. 
(THE    PUPILS    DO    THEIR    BASTING.) 

Bleached  cotton  undergarments  trimmed  with  ruffles. 
Plain  white  flannel  skirts,  and  white  tiers. 

FOURTH    GRADE. 
(THE    PUPILS    DO    THE    CUTTING.) 

Bleached  cotton  undergarments  trimmed. 

White  flannel  skirts  feather-stitched,  and  white  aprons. 

FIFTH    GRADE. 

Dressmaking  and  machine-stitching. 

Millinery  and  embroidery  classes. 

When  a  pupil  is  ready  to  make  button-holes  in  a  gar- 
ment, she  should  go  into  the  button-hole  class,  where  she 
is  also  taught  to  sew  on  buttons,  first  practising  on  the 
stamped  buttons.  On  the  completion  of  garments  the 
pupils  should  be  allowed  to  buy  them  for  a  small  sum. 
Class  bags,  plainly  marked,  should  be  provided,  and  also 
individual  bags  labeled  by  a  tag  fastened  to  the  tape. 


FACTS  FOR  OBSERVATION  LESSONS. 

(TO    BE    USED    IN    CONNECTION    WITH    THE    SEWING    CABINET.) 
COTTON. 

The  cotton  plant  grows  on  plantations  in  warm  coun- 
tries. Most  of  the  cotton  used  in  the  world  is  raised  in 
the  United  States,  where  the  two  principal  varieties  are 
short-staple  cotton  or  cotton  having  short  fibres,  and  long- 
staple  cotton  having  long  fibres.  The  short-staple  or 
upland  cotton,  which  is  chiefly  raised,  grows  on  a  plant 
from  two  to  three  feet  in  height.  Long-staple  or  sea- 
island  cotton  grows  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  high,  and  is 
found  on  the  islands  near  the  coast  of  the  Southern 
States.  Sea-island  cotton  is  much  more  valuable  than 
upland  cotton. 

The  seed  is  sown  in  March  and  April,  and  early  in  June 
the  plant  begins  to  bloom.  The  blossom  resembles  that 
of  the  hollyhock,  and  changes  its  color,  being  a  pale 
straw-color  in  the  morning,  pure  white  at  noon,  pale  pink 
at  night,  and  a  clear  pink  the  next  morning.  After  the 
flowers  fall,  the  pods  or  bolls  grow  rapidly,  and  when  ripe 
burst  open,  showing  the  fleecy  cotton  ready  for  picking, 
which  is  done  by  hand  or  by  a  machine. 

It  is  separated  from  the  seeds  by  being  run  through 
the  cotton-gin,  then  baled,  and  shipped  to  the  manufact- 
urers. The  bale  is  opened,  and  the  cotton  is  put  through 
a  beater  and  picker-machine,  which  loosens  the  matted 
fibres,  and  separates  a  portion  of  the  sand  and  leaves.  It 
is  subjected  to  a  second,  and  sometimes  a  third  process  of 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT.  223 

picking,  which  forms  it  into  laps,  or  rolls  of  cotton  similar 
to  cotton  batting. 

These  laps  are  taken  to  the  carding-machines,  where 
they  are  carded,  and  sometimes  combed,  until  the  fibres 
become  sufficiently  clean  and  even  ;  they  are  then  called 
slivers.  The  slivers  pass  to  the  drawing-machine,  where 
they  are  drawn  even  and  parallel,  and  several  of  them  are 
united  into  one.  Then  they  are  twisted  on  the  roving- 
frames  into  rovings,  which  are  wound  upon  bobbins. 
They  are  next  spun  into  yarn,  by  passing  the  rovings 
through  the  spinning-machines. 

When  thread  is  to  be  made,  the  yarn  is  doubled  and 
twisted  more  than  for  weaving  into  cloth,  as  greater 
strength  is  required.  It  is  then  reeled  off  into  loose 
hanks  for  washing,  bleaching  and  dyeing,  after  which 
comes  the  reeling  on  to  bobbins,  and  the  spooling.  In 
spooling,  after  the  machine-tender  has  set  the  spool  on 
the  spindle  and  attached  the  end  of  the  thread  from  the 
bobbin,  the  machine  does  the  rest.  It  runs  the  thread 
on  evenly,  without  overlapping,  or  leaving  a  hair's  breadth 
between,  and  even  adjusts  its  work  with  the  same  pre- 
cision to  the  widening  of  the  spool  with  every  layer 
of  thread.  It  runs  on  exactly  two  hundred  yards,  and 
at  the  right  time  and  place,  cuts  the  fine  slit  in  the 
edge  of  the  spool,  draws  the  end  of  thread  tightly  into 
the  slit,  cuts  it  off,  and  drops  the  finished  spool  into 
a  tray.  The  spools  are  labeled  and  packed  in  boxes 
containing  a  dozen  each. 

If  the  yarn  is  to  be  woven  into  cloth,  the  warp  is 
prepared  on  one  machine,  and  the  woof  on  another  ; 
the  warp  being  made  stronger  than  the  woof,  as  a  greater 
strain  comes  on  it.  Then  they  are  woven  on  the  loom, 


224  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

great  care  being  taken  that  every  thread  is  kept  in  its 
proper  position.  In  weaving,  the  warp  threads  are  first 
passed  from  the  warp  beam  at  the  back  of  the  loom,  to 
the  cloth  beam  in  front,  on  which  the  cloth  is  to  be  wound. 
Plain  weaving  is  done  by  passing  the  woof,  in  a  shuttle, 
alternately  over  and  under  each  thread  of  the  warp ; 
this  may  be  readily  discerned  by  unravelling  a  piece 
of  cotton  cloth.  Twilled  cloth  is  woven  by  varying  the 
number  of  threads  passed  over  or  taken  up  by  the  woof. 
In  piled  cloth,  like  velvet,  other  threads  are  woven  in 
with  the  woof,  making  loops,  which  are  afterwards  cut 
and  sheared  evenly.  Mixed  cloth  is  woven  with  the  warp 
of  one  color  and  the  woof  of  another.  In  striped  cloth 
the  warp  is  of  two  or  more  different  colors  ;  and  in 
checked  cloth  the  warp  and  woof  are  both  of  two  colors, 
one  set  of  stripes  crossing  another. 

White  cloth  is  bleached  after  weaving.  When  calico 
is  made,  the  cloth  is  singed,  then  bleached,  and  the 
coloring  applied  by  a  printing  machine. 


WOOL. 

Wool  is  obtained  chiefly  from  the  sheep,  also  from  the 
alpaca,  angora,  and  cashmere  goat.  It  is  brought  mainly 
from  Australia,  South  Africa,  and  South  America,  but 
the  highest  grade  is  obtained  from  the  merinoes  of 
Saxony  and  Silesia  in  Germany. 

Wool  consists  of  wavy  fibres  varying  from  six  to 
twelve  inches  in  length,  and  differing  in  grade.  Each 
fibre  is  covered  with  little  sawlike  teeth  or  scales  over- 
lying each  other,  and  sticking  out  wherever  a  bend 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.  225 

occurs.  The  points  of  the  scales  are  exceedingly  small, 
but  when  spun,  fit  into  each  other  and  keep  the  thread 
from  untwisting. 

After  the  wool  has  been  sheared  from  the  sheep, 
which  is  done  yearly,  it  is  separated  according  to  fineness 
and  length  of  fibre  into  sorts,  by  experienced  men  called 
sorters.  Then,  as  it  is  full  of  grease  and  dirt,  it  is 
scoured  by  being  immersed  in  successive  vats  of  hot, 
alkaline  lye,  varying  in  strength,  until  most  of  the 
impurities  are  removed.  After  scouring,  the  wool  is 
dried,  and  it  is  then  ready  for  further  processes.  At 
this  point  the  question  must  be  decided  whether  the 
fabric  to  be  manufactured  is  to  be  a  woollen  or  a 
worsted. 

Formerly,  woollen  goods  were  made  from  short-fibred 
wool  with  high  felting  properties,  while  worsted  goods 
were  made  from  long-fibred  wool  with  poor  felting  proper- 
ties, but  now,  from  many  kinds  of  wool  both  woollens  and 
worsteds  can  be  made,  the  distinction  between  them 
being  caused  by  the  different  processes  to  which  the  wool 
is  subjected. 

We  will  first  describe  the  method  of  manufacturing 
^woollens.  After  the  wool  is  scoured,  it  is  passed  through 
a  willowing-machine  in  order  to  remove  any  dirt  or  dust 
that  may  still  adhere  to  it,  and  also  to  break  up  the 
matted  pieces.  Then  it  is  carded,  by  which  the  wool  is 
thoroughly  cleaned  from  sticks  and  lumps,  and  the  fibres 
are  torn  apart  and  then  interlaced  with  each  other, 
coming  out  in  the  form  of  a  loose  rope  called  sliver, 
in  which  the  separate  fibres  stand  in  an  infinite  variety 
of  positions  with  reference  to  each  other.  If  the  fabric 
is  to  be  wool-dyed,  the  next  process  is  the  dyeing,  after 


226  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

which  it  is  drawn  down  by  drawing,  roving  and  spinning 
frames  into  a  woollen  yarn. 

If  greater  strength  is  required,  two  or  more  strands 
are  twisted  together,  making  a  woollen  thread  ready  for 
the  loom.  If  the  fabric  is  to  be  yarn-dyed,  the  dyeing 
process  occurs  at  this  stage.  The  yarn  is  now  woven 
into  cloth.  It  is  fulled  by  being  soaked  in  hot,  soapy 
water,  and  subjected  to  heavy  pressure,  thus  causing  the 
fibres  to  felt  together,  and  the  cloth  to  shrink  in  width. 
The  fabric  is  now  compact  and  firm,  and  is  ready  for  the 
finishing  processes.  The  fibres  are  loosened  and  raised 
to  form  a  nap,  by  passing  the  surface  of  the  cloth  over 
the  sharp  little  hooks  of  the  teasel,  which  are  set  in 
rollers.  Teasels  are  the  flower  heads  of  a  variety  of 
thistle.  Then  the  cloth  is  sheared  to  give  a  uniform 
surface,  and  it  is  passed  between  steam  rollers  in  order 
to  receive  the  smooth,  glossy  finish  that  renders  it 
attractive. 

The  processes  used  in  making  a  worsted  fabric  are 
different  from  those  just  described  in  several  respects. 
The  object  is  to  make  a  yarn  in  which  the  fibres  shall 
be  drawn  out  parallel  to  each  other,  and  then  twisted  to 
ihe  required  degree. 

The  wool  is  put  through  various  machines  to  straighten 
out  the  fibres,  and  to  take  out  those  that  are  too  short 
for  use.  Long  wools  are  put  through  preparers;  shorter 
wools  are  passed  through  carding-machines,  both  of  which 
bring  the  wool  into  a  loose  sliver,  which,  after  being  back- 
washed  and  slightly  oiled,  is  passed  through  a  combing- 
machine,  where  the  short  fibres,  called  noils,  are  combed 
out,  and  there  is  formed  a  firm,  smooth,  clean  rope  made 
up  of  long,  parallel  fibres  loosely  adhering  to  each  other. 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT.  22/ 

This  rope  is  wound  into  balls  or  wool  tops,  about  one 
foot  in  diameter.  Then  follow  the  processes  of  drawing, 
roving,  spinning  and  twisting,  care  being  taken  to  pre- 
serve the  substantial  parallel  relation  of  the  fibres  to  each 
other,  until  a  smooth,  level  yarn  is  formed  ready  for  weav- 
ing into  cloth. 

After  the  cloth  is  woven  it  is  dyed,  if  that  has  not 
been  done  in  the  yarn,  and  it  is  then  ready  for  the  finish- 
ing, which  differs  slightly  from  the  method  pursued  in 
making  woollens.  The  cloth  is  not  teazled,  and  is  only 
slightly  fulled,  sometimes  not  at  all.  It  is  singed  by  being 
passed  at  a  high  rate  of  speed  over  a  hot  roller  ;  is  steamed, 
stretched,  and  pressed  between  rollers,  and  is  then  put  up 
in  proper  shape  for  sale. 


LINEN. 

Linen  thread  and  cloth  are  made  from  the  fibres  of 
the  flax  plant.  The  coverings  in  which  the  Egyptian 
mummies  have  been  found  enveloped,  prove  that  flax  has 
been  used  from  the  remotest  times  in  the  manufacture 
of  linen  cloth.  In  the  British  Museum  pieces  of  linen 
four  thousand  years  old  may  be  seen.  The  best  qualities 
of  flax  come  from  France  and  The  Netherlands. 

The  plant  grows  to  a  height  of  two  or  three  feet,  and 
bears  delicate  blue  flowers.  The  stalks  of  the  plant  are 
hollow,  and  consist  of  a  woody  portion  called  the  boon, 
and  a  fibrous  portion  from  which  the  thread  is  made.  The 
seeds  furnish  linseed-oil,  used  for  mixing  paints.  If  a 
fine  fibre  is  desired,  the  stalks  are  pulled  up  by  the 
roots,  when  the  leaves  begin  to  fall  off  and  the  bottom 
of  the  stalks  become  yellow.  By  waiting  until  the 


228  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

seeds  are  ripe,  a  coarser  fibre  and  seeds  for  oil  are  ob- 
tained. 

After  being  dried  in  the  sun,  the  seeds  are  removed, 
and  the  stalks  soaked  or  retted  in  water  to  loosen  the 
fibres  from  the  boon.  The  fibres  are  dried  and  run 
through  rollers,  which  break  the  boon.  Then  they  are 
combed  out  or  disentangled,  and  the  wood  removed  by 
the  scutching-machine.  The  flax,  now  ready  for  the  mill, 
is  put  through  the  hackling-machine,  where  the  short  fibres 
are  separated  from  the  long.  The  long  fibres  are  called 
line  and  go  through  the  spread-board,  while  the  short 
fibres,  called  tow,  pass  through  the  carding-machine  ;  both 
varieties  entering  cans  called  sliver-cans.  The  sliver  then 
passes  through  a  number  of  drawing-frames,  and  after 
being  doubled  and  drawn  out,  it  goes  to  the  roving-frame, 
where  it  is  again  drawn  out,  then  twisted  and  wound  on 
to  bobbins.  The  rovings  are  spun  on  the  spinning- 
frames  and  reduced  to  yarn,  which  is  either  woven  into 
cloth  or  twisted  into  thread.  The  linen  is  bleached  for 
white  goods,  or  dyed  for  colored. 

During  all  the  operations  the  fibres  must  be  kept  wet 
with  warm  water,  to  render  them  pliable. 

Various  kinds  of  heavy  cloth,  such  as  caavas,  coarse 
toweling,  tent-cloth  and  bagging,  are  made  from  hemp, 
which  is  prepared  and  wove  similar  to  flax. 


SILK. 

There  is  no  more  interesting  subject  than  the  source 
and  manufacture  of  silk.  The  manufacture  of  silk  doubt- 
less originated  in  China.  Although  some  silkworms  are 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT.  22Q 

raised  in  this  country,  the  greater  part  of  the  raw  silk 
is  imported  from  China  and  Europe. 

The  silkworm  moth  lays  the  eggs  from  which  the  silk- 
worms are  hatched,  and  they  in  turn  become  moths.  The 
moth  is  about  an  inch  long,  having  white  wings  marked 
with  broad  pale-brown  bars.  One  moth  lays  from  three 
hundred  to  seven  hundred  eggs,  so  small  that  it  takes 
three  or  four  hundred  eggs  to  cover  a  space  as  large  as 
a  silver  dollar.  In  a  warm,  dry  temperature  the  eggs 
will  hatch  in  a  few  days.  The  young  silkworm  or  cater- 
pillar is  dark-colored,  and  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  an 
inch  in  length.  When  full  grown  the  worm  is  about 
three  inches  long;  the  body  is  made  up  of  twelve  joints, 
and  it  has  sixteen  legs.  It  reaches  maturity  in  about  a 
month,  and  during  this  time  feeds  upon  the  leaves  of  the 
mulberry  .tree,  requiring  constant  feeding;  it  also  changes 
its  skin  four  times.  When  about  to  spin  its  cocoon  on 
some  convenient  branch  or  roll  of  paper,  it  ceases  to 
eat. 

The  silk  is  produced  from  two  small  bags  filled  with  a 
liquid  gum.  From  each  bag  comes  a  slender  tube,  which 
unites  into  one  tube  near  the  mouth,  through  which  the 
gum  is  drawn  and  spun  into  silk;  thus  each  fibre  of  silk, 
when  examined  under  a  microscope,  is  seen  to  consist  of  two 
strands,  one  from  each  bag.  The  silkworm  first  makes  an 
outer  covering  of  coarse  fibres  called  floss-silk,  then,  bend- 
ing itself  like  a  horseshoe,  and  moving  its  head  from  one 
point  to  another,  it  entirely  surrounds  the  body  with  silk, 
not  spun  regularly  around  the  cocoon,  but  back  and  forth, 
so  that  sometimes  yards  may  be  unwound  without  turning 
over  the  cocoon.  The  inner  silk  is  the  finest.  The  cocoon 
is  completed  in  a  few  days,  and  is  about  the  size  of  a 


230  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

pigeon's  egg.  If  left  undisturbed,  in  two  or  three  weeks 
the  moth  will  eat  its  way  through  the  cocoon,  and  in  so 
doing  break  and  injure  the  silk  ;  to  prevent  this,  it  is 
stifled  or  killed  by  heat. 

Each  cocoon  contains  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  of 
thread,  as  fine  as  a  cobweb,  and  it  takes  three  thousand 
cocoons  to  make  a  pound  of  silk.  The  cocoons  are 
first  sorted,  and.  the  outside  threads  removed.  They  are 
next  placed  in  tepid  water,  where  they  are  stirred  until 
the  ends  of  four  or  five  threads  are  found  and  brought 
together  into  a  single  thread,  which  is  wound  on  to  a 
reel.  Then  it  goes  to  the  spinning-frames,  where  it  is 
doubled  and  twisted  into  the  various  sizes  required  for 
sewing-silk  or  for  weaving. 

The  silk  after  being  cleaned  (all  the  knots  or  obstruc- 
tions removed)  and  dried,  is  ready  to  be  colored  and 
woven  into  fabric  on  the  loom.  Silk  is  the  strongest  of 
all  fibres  used  for  weaving. 

The  reeling  or  spinning  of  the  silk  is  very  difficult,  as 
the  cocoons  differ  in  color,  quality  and  length.  The  silk 
on  the  outside  of  the  cocoon,  and  that  near  the  chrysalis 
is  inferior  and  broken  ;  so  this,  with  that  from  cocoons 
which  have  been  injured,  is  made  into  what  ir;  called  spun- 
silk.  Raw  silk  is  made  from  the  perfect  cocoons. 


SCISSORS    AND    SHEARS. 

Scissors  and  shears  are  made  in  various  sizes  and  styles  ; 
strictly  speaking,  every  pair  over  six  inches  in  length 
should  be  called  shears.  Those  made  from  steel  are 
manufactured  almost  entirely  in  Germany  ;  in  this  country 


TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT.  23! 

malleable  iron  with  steel  for  the  inside  edges  is  used. 
Nearly  all  the  work  is  done  by  hand,  but  the  process  of 
making  depends  somewhat  upon  the  size.  Each  pair 
passes  through  the  hands  of  fifty  or  sixty  workmen  before 
completion. 

The  iron  is  first  melted  at  the  foundry  and  run  into 
moulds  of  the  different  shapes  desired.  The  steel  is  run 
into  thin  sheets,  which  are  cut  into  strips,  and  these  are 
punched,  and  riveted  to  the  iron  by  one  blow  of  a  hammer. 
These  pieces  are  then  dipped  in  water  and  again  in 
powdered  borax,  to  cleanse  the  surfaces  of  the  iron  and 
steel,  which  would  not  unite  without  this  process.  After 
being  heated  red  hot  in  a  furnace,  the  two  metals  are 
welded  together,  and  shaped  by  a  die  or  stamp. 

A  large  pair  of  shears  is  used  to  trim  the  steel,  that 
protrudes  over  the  blades  ;  after  which  the  blades  pass 
through  the  hands  of  a  number  of  workmen,  each  doing 
his  part  towards  shaping  the  shears.  They  are  hardened 
by  being  plunged  while  red  hot  into  a  tank  of  cold  water, 
which  renders  them  very  brittle.  To  remedy  the  brittle- 
ness  they  are  put  on  a  plate  and  again  heated,  until  the 
workman  knows  by  the  color  that  they  are  properly  tem- 
pered or  toughened. 

After  various  processes,  in  one  of  which  the  hole  for 
the  screw  is  drilled,  a  temporary  screw  is  put  in,  and  the 
points  and  handles  adjusted.  This  screw  is  taken  out 
and  the  blades  are  numbered,  in  order  that  they  may  be 
kept  in  pairs.  They  are  ground  on  a  round  stone,  making 
a  slight  hollow  on  the  surface  of  the  blades  ;  this  forms 
an  edge  to  cut  on.  A  small  elevation  is  also  made  close 
behind  the  screw,  which  causes  the  blades  to  cant  more 
and  more  towards  each  other  as  they  are  closed.  Then 


232  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

the  handles  are  japanned  or  nickel-plated,  and  the  blades 
are  polished  on  emery  wheels.  After  this  they  are  taken 
to  a  stamping-machine,  where  the  maker's  name  is  put  on 
them.  Then  the  edges  of  the  blades  are  sharpened  on 
fine  emery  wheels,  the  screw  is  put  in,  and  the  blades 
adjusted. 

Lastly  they  are  carefully  inspected,  packed  in  boxes, 
and  are  ready  for  market. 


NEEDLES. 

Needles  have  been  used  by  the  women  of  every 
country,  in  every  age.  Bronze  needles  have  been  found 
in  Egyptian  tombs,  and  we  have  mention  of  them  in 
the  early  history  of  the  Greeks  and  Romans. 

The  common  sewing  needle  is  made  from  steel  wire, 
and  is  manufactured  almost  exclusively  in  England. 
Although  simple  in  form,  a  needle  passes  through  the 
hands  of  a  hundred  workmen  before  completion.  The 

^  1 

wire  is  cut  from  coils  into  pieces  or  blanks  of  twice  the 
required  length  of  the  needle.  After  being  straightened, 
the  blanks  are  ground  to  a  point  at  both  ends,  ai*l 
flattened  in  the  middle  ;  on  this  flattened  surface  the 
groove  for  the  thread  is  made,  also  two  small  indentations 
to  mark  the  places  for  the  eyes,  which  are  drilled  by 
machinery.  The  lengths  are  now  separated,  and  are 
hardened  by  being  heated  and  dipped  in  oil  ;  then  they 
are  tempered  by  again  slowly  heating  and  cooling.  After 
being  scoured,  rounded  and  polished,  they  are  sorted,  and 
folded  in  papers,  which,  when  labelled,  are  put  up  in 
packages. 


TEACHER  S    SUPPLEMENT.  233 

Machine  needles  are  manufactured  in  this  country  by 
machines  invented  for  the  purpose.  The  work  is  similar 
to  that  done  on  the  common  needle,  machines  being 
substituted  for  part  of  the  hand  labor. 


PINS. 

Pins  similar  to  those  now  in  use  were  not  known  in 
ancient  times,  when  thorns,  and  bone,  wooden,  gold  or 
silver  skewers  were  used  to  fasten  the  clothing.  In  the 
sixteenth  century,  when  first  manufactured,  they  were 
so  expensive  that  only  the  rich  could  afford  to  buy  them  ; 
when  first  made  in  the  United  States,  a  paper  of  pins 
cost  one  dollar. 

Pins  are  now  manufactured  by  machines  and  are 
made  in  many  sizes.  The  wire,  after  being  reduced  to 
the  proper  size  and  condition,  is  run  through  a  machine, 
which  cuts  it  into  the  required  length,  forms  the  head, 
and  also  sharpens  the  point  and  tempers  it.  The  pins 
are  next  cleaned,  and  the  imperfect  ones'  thrown  out^y 
machinery.  The  third  machine  rolls  them  until  they 
are  bright  and  smooth.  Another  machine  sticks  them 
into  the  paper,  and,  after  being  inspected  under  a 
magnifying  glass,  they  are  ready  for  market.  A  machine 
has  been  invented  which  does  the  entire  work.  Black 
pins  are  prepared  by  japanning  the  common  pins. 


234  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


THIMBLES. 

Thimbles  have  been  in  use  only  about  two  hundred 
years.  They  are  made  of  metal,  celluloid,  or  aluminum, 
with  either  an  open  or  closed  top.  The  indentations  on 
the  surface  are  made  to  hold  the  head  of  the  needle 
firmly. 

In  manufacturing  metal  thimbles,  a  thin  disk  or  blank, 
about  the  size  of  a  silver  half-dollar,  is  first  cut  from 
sheet  metal, ^and  is  then  drawn  into  a  cap.  This  cap  is 
heated  and  tapered,  and  the  edges  rolled  ;  the  top  and 
then  the  sides  are  indented,  and  it  is  completed  by  being 
polished  and  plated. 


BUTTONS. 

Buttons  are  made  from  many  materials,  and  in  many 
sizes  and  shapes.  The  cheapest  are  made  of  porcelain, 
which  is  pressed  into  moulds  and  baked. 

Vegetable  ivory  buttons  are  made  from  the  seeds  of 
the  ivory  plant.  The  plant  grows  on  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama,  and  resembles  a  palm.  The  fruit  is  round,  from 
eight  to  twelve  inches  in  diameter,  and  weighs  about 
twenty-five  pounds.  It  is  composed  of  six  or  seven 
portions,  each  portion  containing  from  six  to  nine  seeds. 
These  seeds,  when  ripe,  are  pure  white,  free  from  veins 
or  any  dots,  and  are  about  two  inches  in  diameter.  The 
substance  is  so  hard  that  it  can  be  readily  turned  in 
the  lathe. 

The  seeds  or  nuts  are  sawed  into  slabs,  from  which 
the  buttons  are  turned.  The  next  operation  is  that 


TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT.  235 

of  drilling  the  holes;  some  buttons  are  drilled  with  four 
holes,  others  with  two  holes,  while  others  are  not  drilled, 
but  have  what  is  called  a  self-shank. 

After  being  dyed  or  colored  they  are  finished  by  polish- 
ing and  mottling.  Horn  and  bone  buttons  are  made  in  a 
similar  manner. 

Cloth-covered  button. —  In  the  manufacture  of  cloth- 
covered  buttons,  two  round  pieces  of  cloth,  one  for  the 
covering  and  one  for  the  shank,  two  collets  of  tin  and  a 
thick  paper  filling  are  used.  The  tuft  of  strong  linen  is 
placed  in  the  under  collet,  and  a  die  or  stamp  comes  down, 
and  presses  the  tuft  through  the  collet,  making  the  flexible 
shank  by  which  the  button  is  sewed  on.  The  cloth  cov- 
ering is  then  placed  on  the  upper  collet  or  shell,  and 
pressed  up  into  a  die.  Just  before  the  die  holding  the 
upper  part  of  the  button  is  pressed  into  the  one  holding 
the  under  part,  the  paper  filling  is  put  in.  As  the  dies 
come  together  they  turn  the  edge  of  the  shell  over  the 
collet,  and  the  different  parts  are  thus  held  strongly 
together. 

Flat  metal  button. -- The  four-holed  metal  button  is 
manufactured  from  collets  or  disks  cut  from  sheet  metal. 
The  under  collet  of  the  button  is  cut  from  tin,  the  upper 
collet  from  brass.  Then  the  collets  are  shaped  and  the 
four  holes  punched  by  a  machine.  A  piece  of  straw- 
board  of  the  same  form  is  prepared,  and  the  three  pieces 
are  bound  together  by  solidly  lapping  the  edge  of  the 
brass  or  larger  collet  over  the  other  two. 

Hollow  gilt  button  with  shank.  —  This  button  consists 
of  three  pieces  of  brass, — the  front,  back  and  the  wire 
eye.  The  manufacture  is  described  in  the  following  steps, 
which  may  be  readily  understood  if  samples  are  shown. 


236  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

Front.  —  i .  Blanking,  or  cutting  out  the  round  disk 
from  the  sheet.  2.  Stamping,  or  raising  the  figure.  3. 
Annealing,  or  softening  after  the  stamping.  4.  Pickling, 
or  removing  the  oxide  produced  by  the  annealing.  5. 
Drawing  or  shaping  the  front.  6.  Annealing.  7.  Pick- 
ling. 8.  Cleaning,  or  removing  by  acids  the  scales  pro- 
duced upon  the  surface  during  the  manufacture  of  the 
metal.  9.  Lacquering  the  inside.  10.  Drying  the 
lacquer,  which  has  been  applied  to  the  inside  of  the  front, 
in  order  that  in  the  process  of  fire-gilding  no  gold  may  be 
wasted  by  attaching  itself  to  the  inside,  n.  Cleaning, 
or  preparing  for  the  gold.  12.  Gilding,  showing  the 
result  after  the  gold  has  been  applied.  The  application 
of  this  gold  is  by  what  is  known  as  the  "fire  gilding 
process,"  in  which  the  gold  is  first  dissolved  in  mercury, 
and  applied  to  the  surface  of  the  metal.  After  this  the 
mercury  is  volatilized  in  an  oven  and  passes  up  the  chim- 
ney from  the  oven,  leaving  the  gold  in  chemical  contact 
with  the  surf  ace  of  the  metal.  13.  Scratching,  or  bright- 
ening by  rubbing  with  a  bunch  of  fine  wire.  14.  Color- 
ing, or  bringing  out  the  color  of  the  gold.  15.  Burnish- 
ing, or  brightening  the  surface  of  the  letters  with  a 
burnishing-stone. 

Back.  —  i .  Cutting  and  bending  the  wire  for  the  eye. 
2.  Blanking,  or  cutting  out  the  round  disk  from  the 
sheet.  3.  Heading,  or  attaching  the  eye  to  the  back. 
4.  Charging,  or  placing  of  the  soldering  paste  about  the 
wire.  5.  Soldering.  6.  Cleaning,  by  immersion  in 
acids.  7.  Stamping  into  shape,  including  the  embossing 
of  the  letters.  8.  Silvering.  9.  Burnishing. 

Uniting.  —  i .  Closing,  or  uniting  of  the  front  and 
the  back,  both  of  which  have  been  separately  finished. 


TEACHERS    SUPPLEMENT.  237 

2.  Edging,  or  burnishing  of  the  extreme  edge.  3.  Bottom- 
ing, or  burnishing  of  the  edge  and  the  back.  4.  Bevel- 
ing, or  burnishing  of  the  edge  and  the  front  side.  5. 
Finished  button. 


HOOKS    AND    EYES. 

Hooks  and  eyes  are  manufactured  from  wire  by  ma- 
chinery. Two  hundred  hooks  and  the  same  number  of 
eyes,  each  being  made  by  its  own  machine,  can  be  manu- 
factured in  a  minute.  The  wire,  on  being  unwound  from 
a  reel,  is  cut  into  the  required  length,  and  drawn  into  the 
machine,  where  it  is  bent  into  shape  and  comes  out  com- 
pleted. They  are  silvered  or  blackened  with  japan  varnish. 

The  machines  run  automatically,  all  that  the  machine 
tender  has  to  do  is  to  see  that  they  are  supplied  with  wire. 
The  hooks  and  eyes  have  to  be  sewed  and  stuck  on  to 
cardboard  by  hand. 


EMERY. 

Emery  is  a  variety  of  corundum,  and  is  ranked  among 
the  hardest  of  minerals.  It  derives  its  name  from  Cape 
Emeri  on  the  island  of  Naxos,  Grecian  Archipelago, 
where  the  best  variety  is  obtained.  It  is  also  found  in  a 
number  of  places  in  the  United  States. 

It  is  used  for  polishing  metals.  The  stone  is  crushed 
and  sifted  into  powder  of  different  fineness. 


238  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 


WAX. 

Bees-wax  is  an  animal  secretion,  formed  by  the  bees, 
and  constitutes  the  material  of  which  the  cells  of  the 
honey-comb  are  composed.  After  the  honey  is  removed, 
the  wax  is  dirty,  tough  and  yellow.  To  make  it  pure  and 
white,  the  wax  is  melted  and  stirred  in  boiling  water  ; 
when  cooled  the  pure  wax  rises  to  the  top.  It  is  again 
melted,  and  then  bleached  in  the  open  air,  until  it  becomes 
white.  It  is  finally  melted,  strained  through  sieves  and 
cast  in  molds. 


SCHOOL-CABINET. 

A  very  interesting  school-cabinet  can  be  made  by  pro- 
curing the  following  named  articles,1  and  pictures  of  the 
different  machines  used  in  their  manufacture.  They  may 
be  put  into  mounting-boxes  or  fastened  on  to  cards,  and 
thus  easily  shown  the  pupils. 

Cotton. —  i.  Cotton  seeds.  2.  Roots  and -stalks.  3. 
Leaves  and  blossoms.  4.  Pods  or  bolls.  5.  Sample 
from  cotton-gin.  6.  Sample  from  combined  beating  and 
scutching-machine,  called  laps.  7.  Sample  from  carding 
or  combing-machine,  called  sliver.  8.  Sample  from  draw- 
ing-machine, still  called  sliver.  9.  Samples  from  the 
different  roving-machines,  called  rovings.  10.  Sample 
from  ring-frame,  called  warp.  1 1 .  Sample  from  mule- 
frame,  called  filling  or  woof.  12.  Samples  of  thread. 
13.  Sample  of  unbleached  cloth  from  the  loom.  14. 
Sample  of  bleached  cloth.  15.  Samples  of  the  various 
kinds  of  cotton  cloth. 

Wool.  —  i .  Samples  of  wool  on  the  hide  of  both  the 
sheep  and  the  goat.  2.  Sample  of  wool  sheared  from 
the  sheep.  3.  Sample  after  being  scoured  and  dried. 
4.  Sample  from  the  willowing-machine.  5.  Sample  from 
the  carding-machine.  6.  Sample  from  the  drawing-ma- 
chine. 7.  Samples  from  the  roving-machines.  8.  Sam- 
ples from  the  spinning-frames.  9.  Samples  of  yarn.  10. 
Sample  of  woollen  cloth  from  the  loom.  1 1.  Sample  after 

1  The  author  has  five  hundred  specimens,  besides  illustrations. 


24O  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

being  fulled.  12.  Sample  after  being  teaseled  and  sheared. 
13.  Teasels.  14.  Sample  after  being  finished.  15.  Sam- 
ple of  worsted  cloth  from  the  loom.  16.  Sample  after 
being  scoured  and  dried.  17.  Sample  after  being  dyed 
and  rough  dried.  18.  Sample  after  being  finished. 

19.  Samples  of  camel's  hair    in  the  different  processes. 

20.  Samples  of  the  various  kinds  of  woollen  and  worsted 
goods. 

Linen. —  i.  Flax-seeds.  2.  Roots  and  stalks.  3. 
Leaves  and  blossoms.  4.  Sample  after  being  retted  and 
dried.  5.  Sample  after  being  broken  to  crack  the  wood 
or  boon.  6.  Sample  after  being  scutched  and  freed  from 
the  boon,  called  rough  flax.  7.  Sample  from  hackling- 
machine,  called  line.  8.  Sample  from  hackling-machine, 
called  tow.  9.  Sample  from  spread-board,  called  sliver. 

10.  Sample    from    carding-machine.       11.    Sample    from 
drawing-machine.      12.    Samples  from  roving-frames.      13. 
Samples  from  spinning-frames.       14.    Samples  of  thread. 
15.    Sample    of    unbleached    cloth    from   the  loom.      16. 
Sample  of  bleached  cloth.       17.    Samples  of  the  various 
kinds  of  linen  cloth. 

Silk. —  i.  Mulberry  leaves.  2.  Eggs.  3.  Silkworms. 
4.  Cocoons.  5.  Cocoon  cut  lengthwise  ?nto  halves 
showing  chrysalis.  6.  Moth  leaving  cocoon.  7.  Moth. 
8.  Silk  spun  from  cocoon.  9.  Samples  from  the  reeling- 
machines.  10.  Samples  from  the  spinning-frames. 

11.  Samples    of    thread.       12.    Sample    from    the   loom. 
13.    Samples  of  the  various  kinds  of  silk  fabrics. 

Scissors.  —  i.  Iron  ore  and  nickel.  2.  Blades  moulded 
from  iron.  3.  Steel  riveted  to  the  blades.  4.  Steel  and 
iron  welded  together.  5.  Blades  trimmed.  6.  Blades 
tempered.  7.  Points  and  handles  adjusted.  8.  Blades 


TEACHER'S  SUPPLEMENT.  241 

numbered  and  ground.  9.  Nickel-plated  or  handles 
japanned.  10.  Finished  scissors. 

Needles. —  i.  Steel  wire  or  blank.  2.  Ends  sharp- 
ened. 3.  Groove  made.  4.  Eyes  punched.  5.  Lengths 
separated.  6.  Finished  needle. 

Sewing-machine  needles.  —  i.  Blank.  2.  Ends  pointed. 
3.  Swaged  or  compressed.  4.  Clipped.  5.  Stamped 
(name  and  size).  6.  Pointed.  7.  Grooved.  8.  Eye 
punched.  9.  Hardened.  10.  Polished.  n.  Finished. 

Pins. — L  Brass  wire.  2.  Head  formed.  3.  Ends 
sharpened.  '4.  Finished  pins  after  whitening  or  japan- 
ning. 

Thimbles. —  i.  Blank.  2.  Cap.  3.  Cap  tapered.  4. 
Edge  trimmed.  5.  Flange  rolled.  6.  Flange  finished 
and  milled.  7.  Top  indented.  8.  Sides  indented. 
9.  Plated  thimble.  10.  Various  kinds  of  thimbles. 

Buttons. —  Vegetable  Ivory  button.  —  i.  Nut  or  seed. 
2.  Sawed  into  slabs.  3.  Button  turned  from  the  slab, 
and  slab  as  it  remains.  4.  Holes  drilled.  5.  Finished 
button. 

Metal  button,  —  I.  Upper  collet  of  brass.  2.  Under 
collet  of  tin.  3.  Straw-board  filling.  4.  Finished  button. 

Cloth-covered  button.--  i.  Shell,  or  upper  collet. 
2.  Under  collet.  3.  Paper  filling.  4.  Round  piece  of 
linen  for  tuft.  5.  Round  piece  of  woollen  cloth  for 
covering.  6.  Finished  button. 

Hollow  gilt  btitton  with  shank.  —  i.  Blanking.  2. 
Stamping.  3.  Annealing.  4.  Pickling  off.  5.  Draw- 
ing. 6.  Annealing.  7.  Pickling  off.  8.  Cleaning.  9. 
Lacquering.  10.  Drying  off.  n.  Cleaning.  12.  Gild- 
ing. 13.  Scratching.  14.  Coloring.  15.  Burnishing. 
1 6.  Wire  for  eye.  17.  Eye  bent.  18.  Blanking  for 


242  SCHOOL    NEEDLEWORK. 

back.  19.  Heading.  20.  Charging.  21.  Soldering. 
22.  Cleaning.  23.  Stamping.  24.  Silvering.  25. 
Burnishing.  26.  Closing.  27.  Edging.  28.  Bottom- 
ing. 29.  Beveling.  30.  Finished  button. 

Hooks  and  Eyes.  —  Hooks. —  i.  Wire.  2.  Wire  bent 
forioop.  3.  Small  circles  formed.  4.  Loop  bent  over. 
5.  Loop  flattened.  6.  Hook  silvered  or  japanned. 

Eyes.  —  i.  Wire.  2.  Wire  bent  for  loop.  3.  Small 
circles  formed.  4.  Eye  silvered  or  japanned. 

Einery. —  i.    Emery-stone.    2.   Powder.    3.   Emery-bag. 

Wax.  --  i.  Bee.  2.  Honey-comb.  3.  Yellow  and 
white  wax. 


INDEX    TO   TEACHER'S    EDITION. 


Alphabets,  126,  127,  128. 
Articles  needed,  i. 
A-shopping  expedition,  177. 
Basting,  21,  167. 
Bias  piecing,  109. 
Bindings,  46. 

Stitching  and  hemming,  46. 

Setting  in,  49. 

Overhanding,  51. 
Blackboard,  181. 
Blanket-stitch,  122. 
Blind-stitch,  77. 
Boys'  sewing,  185. 
Button-holes,  53,  168,  179. 
Buttons,  61,  234,  241. 
Canvas-work,  18,  169. 
Catch-stitch,  1 17. 
Chain-stitch,  120. 
Cloth,  8. 

Collection  of  work,  186. 
Compositions,  184. 
Corners  mitred,  in. 
Cotton,  222,  239. 
Course  of  sewing,  172'. 
Creasing,  19,  167. 
Cutting,  10,  129,  169. 

Two-breadth  apron,  133. 

Child's  bib,  134. 

Pockets,  135. 

Child's  drawers,  137. 

Night-dress  yoke,  139. 


Child's  sack  tier,  142. 
Gored  skirt,  148. 
Drawers,  149. 
Child's  waist,  153. 
Hints  for  a  plain  basque,  156. 
Doll's  patterns,  159. 
Dark  days,  177. 
DARNING  — 

Cloth  darning,  93,  169. 
Straightway-darn,  93. 
Bias-darn,  95. 
Corner-darn,  96. 
Darning   with    a    piece    under- 
neath, 97. 
Fine  drawing  on  heavy  woollen 

material,  98. 
Stockinet  darning,  85. 
Practice  in  weaving,  85. 
Stockinet  darning,  86. 
Grafting,  89. 
Swiss-darning,  90. 
Stocking-web  stitch,  90. 
Demonstration  lessons,  163. 
Directions  for  sewing,  2. 
Drafting,  132,  169. 
Drawing  lessons,  182. 
Drills,  14,  163. 
Dropping  articles,  178. 
Edgings,  78. 
Lace,  78. 
Hamburg,  80. 


244 


INDEX    TO    TEACHER  S    EDITION. 


Educational     Sewing    Squares    for 

Primary  Work,  199. 
Embroidery  knots,  124. 
Emery,  237,  242. 
Examinations,  185. 
Exhibitions,  184. 
Eyelet-holes,  63. 
Facings,  52. 
Fancy-work,  178. 
Feather-stitch,  119,  169. 
Felling,  75. 

Fractions  of  a  yard,  13. 
French  hem  on  damask,  77. 
French  seam,  76. 
Gathering,  36,  168. 

Double  gathering,  40. 

Placing  or  stroking  of  gathers,  38. 
Grafting,  89. 
Gussets,  66. 

Gusset  and  facing  combined,  69. 
Half-backstitch  ing,  25. 
Hemming,  25,  167. 
Hem-stitch,  115. 
Herringbone-stitch,  117. 
Honey-combing,  44. 
Hooks  and  eyes,  64,  237,  242. 
How  to  keep  the  pupils  busy,  167. 
Industrial  schools,  course  of  sewing 

for,  220. 

Kensington  outline-stitch,  121. 
Kindergarten  sewing,  187. 
Knots,  7. 
Linen,  227,  240. 
Loops,  65. 
Loops  of  tape,  113. 
Marking,  125,  169. 
Measure,  13. 
Mitring  the  corner  of  a  hem,  112. 


Mitring  two  strips  of  cloth,  in. 
Mounting  models,  185. 
Needles,  4,  232,  241. 

~-— <T 

Numbers  of  needles  and  thread, 
Overcasting,  31,  168. 
Overhanding,  33. 
Patching,  100,  169. 

Hemming,  100. 

Overhanding,  103. 

Catch-stitching,  105. 
Pins,  233,  241. 
Piping,  no. 
Placket,  70. 
Plaiting,  73,  168. 
Primary  sewing,  199. 
Putting  away  the  work,  2. 
Ruffles,  80. 
Running,  28,  168. 
Running  and  a  backstitch,  30. 
Sampler,  179. 
Scalloped  edge,  43. 
Scissors,  10,  178,  230,  240. 
Shirring,  42. 
Silk,  228,  240. 

Simultaneous  teaching,  163. 
Sinistrous  pupils,  178. 
Slip-stitch,  77. 
Smocking,  44. 
Stitching,  23. 
Stocking-web  stitch,  90. 
Thimbles,  234,  241. 
Thread,  5,  167. 
Threading  the  needle,  6. 
Trial-piece,  166. 
Tucking,  71. 
Wax,  238,  242. 
Whipping,  82,  1 68. 
Wool,  224,  239. 


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Hans  Andersen's  Fairy  Tales. 

*  FIRST  SERIES:  Supplementary  to  the  Third  Reader. 

*  SECOND  SERIES:  Supplementary  to  the  Fourth  Reader. 
*/Esop  's  Fables,  with  selections  from  Krilof  and  La  Fontaine. 
*Kingsley  's  Water-Babies  :  A  story  for  a  Land  Baby. 
*Ruskin  's  King  of  the  Golden  River :  A  Legend  of  Stiria. 
*The  Swiss  Family  Robinson.     Abridged. 

Robinson  Crusoe.     Concluding  with  his  departure  from  the  island. 
*Kingsley's  Greek  Heroes.     Franci/lon's  Gods  and  Heroes. 

Lamb 's   Tales  from  Shakespeare.     "  Meas.  for  Meas."  omitted. 

Scott's   Tales  of  a  Grandfather. 
*Martineau's  Peasant  and  Prince. 

Banyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress. 

Scott's  Lady  of  the  Lake.     Scott's  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel. 

Lamb's  Adventures  of  Ulysses. 

Tom  Brown  at  Rugby. 

Church 's  Stories  of  the  Old  World. 

Scott's  Talisman.     Complete. 

Scott's  Quentin  Durward.     Slightly  abridged. 

Irving 's  Sketch  Book.     Six  selections,  including  '•  Rip  Van  Winkle.' 

Shakespeare's  Merchant  of  Venice. 

Scott's  Guy  Mannering.     Complete. 

Scott's  Ivanhoe.     Complete.        Scott's  Rob  Roy.     Complete. 

Johnson 's  Rasselas,   Prince  of  Abyssinia. 

Gulliver's   Travels.     The  Voyages  to  Lilliput  and  Brobdingnag. 

Plutarch's  Lives.     From  Clough's  Translation. 

Irving-Fiske's  Washington  and  His  Country. 

Goldsmith's  Vicar  of  Wakefield. 
*Franklin :  His  Life  by  Himself. 

Selections  from  Ruskin. 
*Hale's  Arabian  Nights.     Heroic  Ballads. 

Grote  and  Segur's  Two  Great  Retreats. 

Irving' s  Alhambra.     Selections  for  Memorizing. 

Scott's  Marmion.     Scott's  Old  Mortality, 

Don  Quixote.    Thoughts  of  Marcus  Aurelius  Antoninus.    Epictetus. 


Starred  books  are  illustrated. 


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BOOKS  FOR  TEACHERS. 


COURSES  AND  METHODS. 


COURSES  OF  STUDIES  AND  METHODS  OF  TEACHING 

By  JOHN  T.  PRINCE,   Agent  Mass.  Board  of  Education.      i2moc 
Cloth,     x  +  344  pages.     Teachers'  price,  75  cents. 

Part  First  gives  courses  of  study  for  Graded  and  Ungraded  Schools; 
Part  Second,  methods  of  teaching  all  the  subjects  belonging  to  the 
common  school  curriculum,  together  with  general  suggestions,  prin- 
ciples, etc. ;  Part  Third,  Organization,  Moral  Training,  and  Govern- 
ment, including  lists  of  apparatus,  reference-books,  etc. 

This  book  is  not  intended  as  an  exhaustive  or  philosophical  treatise 
upon  education  ;  nor  does  the  author  claim  to  have  presented  much 
that  is  new  or  original.  It  is  written  in  response  to  a  desire  often 
expressed  in  various  quarters  for  a  brief  plan  of  studies  that  may  be 
pursued  in  elementary  schools,  and  for  a  simple  and  direct  statement 
of  good  methods  of  organization,  teaching,  and  discipline. 

Sensible  and  useful.  —  It  is  one  of  the  most  sensible  and  useful  books  that 
I  have  recently  seen.  —  C.  C.  ROUNDS,  Prin.  N.H.  State  Normal  School. 

Simple,  plain,  and  practical.  —  I  find  in  it  little  to  criticise  and  much  to 
praise.  It  is  simple,  plain,  and  practical,  avoids  extremes  and  "  isms"  of  all  sorts, 
and  affords  usually  help  enough  to  enable  an  intelligent  beginner  to  grasp  clearly  the 
purposes  and  methods  of  school  work.  —  J.  W.  STEARNS,  Prof,  of  Science  and  Art 
of  Teaching^  Univ.  of  Wisconsin. 

Principles  as  well  as  methods.  —  While  being,  as  its  title  implies,  chiefly 
concerned  with  methods,  it  does  not  lose  sight  of  these  great  underlying  principles 
which  alone  can  give  life  to  methods.     I  know  of  no  other  book  in  which  the  vital 
union  between  the  two  is  made  so  apparent.  —  ELLEN  HYDE,  Prin.  of  State  Norm'- 
School,  Framingham,  Mass. 

BRIEF   COMMENTS. 


"  Timely." 

"  Simple,  practical,  and  succinct." 

"The   kind  of  a  book  that  teachers 
will  read." 

"  Comprehensive." 

"  Affords    direct    help    at  a    critical 
point." 

"  Bears  the  Veight  of  authority." 

"  S 
do  it." 


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Avoids  extremes  and  '  isws.'  " 
"  An  aid  to  superintendents  and  com- 
mittees." 


"  Suggestive." 

"  Gives  definite  and  minute  directions 
for  teaching  each  subject." 

"  Helpful  matter,  judiciously  chosen 
and  clearly  stated." 

"  Illustrates  the  vital  connection  be- 
tween principles  and  methods:" 

"  The  work  of  an  experienced,  prac- 
tical educator." 

"  No  teacher  of  experience  can  read 
it  without  profit." 

"  Helps  teachers  put  their  work  on 
rational  grounds." 


FOR  TEACHERS  OF  ARITHMETIC. 

FIRST  STEPS  IN  NUMBER.     (Teachers'  Edition.) 

By  G.  A.  WENTWORTH,  A.M.,  and  Miss  E.  M.  REED,  Principal  of 
Manual  Training  School,  Springfield,  Mass.  Half  morocco,  vi  +  474 
pages.  Teachers'  and  introduction  price,  90  cents.  Also  issued  in 
three  parts  (30  cents  each  to  teachers),  bound  in  boards,  as  follows: 
PART!.  First  Year  (Nos.  i  to  9  inclusive),  216  pages;  PART  II. 
Second  Year  (Nos.  10  to  20  inclusive),  116  pages  ;  PART  III.  Third 
Year  (Nos.  from  21),  156  pages. 

The  Teachers'  Edition  takes  up  the  work  with  the  number  three, 
and  proceeds  step  by  step,  following  the  law  of  dependence  and  sim- 
plicity. Each  of  the  smaller  numbers  is  presented  in  succession  under 
the  four  heads:  I.  Perception  of  the  number.  2.  Analysis  of  the 
number.  3.  Drill  upon  facts  discovered  by  analysis.  4.  Comparison 
with  smaller  numbers.  The  number,  variety,  and  ingenuity  of  the 
examples  are  astonishing. 

It  is  unique.  There  is  no  other  book  of  the  kind  to  be  compared  with  it.  — 
O.  T.  BRIGHT,  Supt.  of  Schools,  Englewood,  III. 

FRACTIONS.     A  Teachers'  Manual  of  Objective  and  Oral  Work. 

By  HELEN  F.  PAGE,  State  Normal  and  Training  School,  New  Britain, 
Conn.  8vo.  Boards,  iv  -f-  47  pages.  Mailing  price,  35  cents  ; 
introduction  price,  30  cents. 

This  hand-book  has  been  prepared  to  help  teachers  who  are  trying 
to  present  the  subject  of  Common  Fractions  in  a  natural,  interesting, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  systematic  manner.  Sample  lessons  are  given 
for  objective  work  in  all  the  operations,  the  material  suggested  being 
cardboard  discs  and  the  measures  yards,  bushels,  gallons,  etc.  Problems 
abound,  and  a  system  of  illustration  of  fractional  facts  with  color- 
diagrams  is  introduced.  By  means  of  this  system,  a  child  may  teach 
himself  a  great  deal  in  a  short  time. 

We  can  see  no  excuse  for  serious  difficulty  or  waste  of  time  in  teaching  fractions 
hereafter.  —  JOURNAL  OF  EDUCATION,  Boston. 

HOW  TO  TEACH  NUMBER. 

This  is  a  pamphlet  outlining  the  method  followed  in  Wentworth's 
Series  of  Arithmetics.  Specimen  pages  are  given  from  the  Primary 
and  Grammar  School  Arithmetics.  It  is  sent  to  teachers  free  of  charge. 

PRIMARY  NUMBER  CARDS. 

Prepared  by  Miss  ISABEL  SHOVE,  of  the  George  Putnam  School, 
Boston.  Printed  on  cardboard,  and  boxed  in  sets  of  60.  Price, 
25  cents. 

Each  card  has  one  example  in  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication, 
and  division,  the  simplest  work  being  on  the  first  numbers. 

2 


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